What You Need to Know About the NDAA - and What’s Next
Last night, the Senate passed its version of the FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (S.1867), a bill that authorizes federal funding for the Department of Defense. The bill passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 93-7 after a number of days of contentious debate surrounding the handling of detainees accused of terrorism and being enemy combatants. SLDN has been monitoring the bill since the beginning of its consideration in the Senate in mid-November, watching for hostile amendments that would cause mischief for LGBT service members and their families.
By a voice vote, with no opposition, an amendment was passed on Tuesday concerning military chaplains. The amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) reads: "A military chaplain who, as a matter of conscience or moral principle, does not wish to perform a marriage may not be required to do so." This amendment is essentially redundant, as DoD regulations already state that military chaplains do not have to perform marriages "if doing so would be in variance with the tenets of his or her religion or personal beliefs."
SLDN's Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis had this to say about that amendment:
"This amendment does nothing new as it relates to the rights of chaplains. Indeed, the new Senate language is a restatement of the protections and guarantees that have always been there."
The Senate bill does not include the language introduced by Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and passed in the House bill (H.R. 1540) in May . That language expands DOMA, disallowing the use of any DoD property for a same-sex ceremony, even in states that allow it. It would also bar chaplains, service members, and DoD civilian employees from participating in any same-sex ceremony, on or off base.
The next step is the conference committee, in which a group of legislators from both the House and Senate will work to reconcile the legislative differences contained in both bills. This is where the next sticking points will come. Will conferees keep the hostile Akin language and micromanage the Department of Defense, or will they adopt the more benign Wicker language?
At SLDN, we will work closely with the committees and staff to protect the gains we have made for LGBT service members. Please continue to visit the Frontlines Blog to get the latest updates.
12-02-11 By Jeremy Wilson-Simerman, SLDN Government Affairs Co-Director |
