Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved two amendments to the Defense Appropriations Bill that affirm congressional support for traditional marriage and religious liberty. The first amendment, sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), would ensure that defense dollars are not used to implement military policy changes that violate DOMA. All but six Republicans voted in support of this amendment, along with 19 Democrats.
The second amendment, sponsored by Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) forbids the military from using any money appropriated by the Defense Appropriations Bill to implement the curriculum proposed by the U.S. Navy to authorize and train chaplains to perform same-sex marriages. There were nine Republicans voting against it, with nine Democrats voting in favor.
“We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Foxx, Burton, and Huelskamp, and their support for sound personnel policies in our military,” wrote Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, in an email to supporters this week.
These amendments are not likely to survive the Senate, but their passage shows that the U.S. House continues to be strongly pro-family, something they pledged during last year’s midterm elections.
