The Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee has approved an amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would require the Pentagon to rename bases and other assets that are named after Confederate military leaders, a source confirmed to The Hill.
The amendment, offered by Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenOvernight Health Care: WHO seeks to clarify widely criticized statement on asymptomatic spread | New study shows 60 percent of Roosevelt carrier crew have coronavirus antibodies | Senators seek probe into Trump administration’s ‘Project Airbridge’ On The Money: Key Democrat accuses Labor chief of ‘misleading’ testimony | Warren urges bank regulator to scrap anti-redlining rule rewrite | Senators press IG to act to prevent nursing homes from seizing coronavirus checks The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan says there will be consequences from fraying US-China relations; WHO walks back claims on asymptomatic spread of virus MORE (D-Mass.), was approved by voice vote Wednesday during the committee’s closed-door markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the source familiar with the situation said. The amendment would give the Pentagon three years to remove the Confederate names.
The news, which was first reported by Roll Call, comes after President TrumpDonald John TrumpFed chairman warns of ‘long road’ to recovery House panel again presses Pentagon leaders to testify on military’s role in protests A ‘sacred trust,’ from George Marshall to Jim Mattis MORE said he would “not even consider” renaming Army bases that are named after Confederate officers.
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During a briefing Wednesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also said Trump would veto the NDAA if the massive policy bill mandated changing the names of the bases.
“These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom,” Trump tweeted.
“Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations,” he added.
Just two days before Trump’s tweets, an Army spokesperson said Army Secretary Ryan McCarthyRyan McCarthyOvernight Defense: Trump rejects scrapping Confederate names from Army bases | House chairman ups push for Esper, Milley to testify | Ousted State IG tells lawmakers he doesn’t know status of Pompeo investigations Trump ‘will not even consider’ renaming Army bases named for Confederate leaders Mississippi lawmakers drafting resolution to take Confederate emblem off state flag: report MORE and Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperHouse panel again presses Pentagon leaders to testify on military’s role in protests Overnight Defense: Trump rejects scrapping Confederate names from Army bases | House chairman ups push for Esper, Milley to testify | Ousted State IG tells lawmakers he doesn’t know status of Pompeo investigations Trump ‘will not even consider’ renaming Army bases named for Confederate leaders MORE were “open” to renaming the 10 bases that are named after Confederate military officers.
The bases, which are in Southern states, are Fort Lee, Fort Hood, Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, Fort Bragg, Fort Polk, Fort Pickett, Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Rucker and Camp Beauregard.
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The Army’s Monday position was a reversal from as recently as February when the service said it had no plans to change the name of any base, including those named after Confederate officers.
The about-face came amid nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died when a police officer who has since been fired and charged with second-degree murder knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
The inclusion of the amendment to force the Pentagon to change the base names, coupled with McEnany’s veto threat, potentially puts the White House on a collision course with Congress over what’s generally considered a must-pass bill. Republicans disinclined to confront the president still have opportunities to strip amendment if they want, such as when the bill hits the Senate floor as soon as next week.
The NDAA covers everything from routine matters such as troop pay and how many planes and ships the military can buy to, often, the hot-button defense issues of the moment.
“LET HIM VETO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT OVER THIS ISSUE LET’S GO!” Sen. Brian SchatzBrian Emanuel SchatzDefense bill turns into proxy battle over Floyd protests Trump calls New York Times ‘fake newspaper’ after headline change Calls for police reform sparks divisions in Congress MORE (D-Hawaii) tweeted Wednesday night in response to the news about the amendment on base names.
Sen. Tammy DuckworthLadda (Tammy) Tammy DuckworthBudowsky: Michelle Obama or Tammy Duckworth for VP Calls for police reform sparks divisions in Congress Trump stokes backlash with threat to use military against protesters MORE (D-Ill.) a member of the Armed Services Committee, called the administration’s veto threat “despicable.”
“It would be shameful enough for the current occupant of the Oval Office to refuse to even consider having the U.S. military stop honoring traitors who took up arms against America to defend their ability to own, sell and kill Black Americans,” Duckworth said in a statement. “But for the Trump White House to threaten vetoing a pay raise for our troops over this is downright despicable.”
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