The House added an amendment to the annual defense authorization legislation on Wednesday intended to combat white supremacy and neo-Nazi activity in the military.
The amendment requires the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Pentagon to publish a report analyzing White supremacist and neo-Nazi activity within the ranks of the military and federal law enforcement and present ways to prevent it. The amendment, opposed by Republicans and sponsored by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), passed in a 218-208 party-line vote and was added to the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act.
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“Such behavior, such extremism is a threat to us in all segments of society. There is no reason to believe that our military is any different,” Schneider said on the House floor on Wednesday.
“These are exceptions. They are rare, but we must do everything we can to identify them and to thwart them before risks become a reality,” he added.
The reports would include figures on the number of people discharged from uniformed services or law enforcement because of white supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology, and they would be submitted to congressional committees and made public no later than 180 days after the NDAA is enacted.
Republicans, such as Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), opposed the amendment, arguing that it is intrusive and “denigrates” law enforcement.
“This amendment attempts to create a problem where none exists by requesting investigations into law enforcement and the armed services for alleged rampant white supremacists or white national sympathies,” Biggs said on Wednesday.
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A Pentagon report released in February of last year warned of the threat of white supremacist ideology inside the military, calling for changes in the screening process of recruits to stamp out people tied to extremism.
The report highlighted an instance of a Florida National Guard member who was part of a neo-Nazi group and openly discussed his ideology with colleagues. The report did not estimate the number of extremist members of the armed services or law enforcement, but it noted that the number is likely to be low in a force of more than 2 million active-duty members and reservists.
