By Staff
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Washington Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) today reintroduced the Equal and Uniform Treatment in the Military (EQUITY) Act in order to codify nondiscrimination and fairness in the U.S. military into law.
Current policy prohibits discrimination in the U.S. military only as directed by the president. Strickland’s bill aims to prohibit it by law. Though the legislation was introduced during Black History Month, Strickland focused on the broader issues of diversity under attack by President Donald Trump and his administration.
“A diverse military is a strong military, and addressing our recruitment and retention challenges is vital to shoring up our national security and ensuring readiness,” Strickland said in a press release about the legislation. “Any person who is qualified to serve our country should be able to do so without facing discrimination.”
The legislation acknowledges the current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives under fire, and is meant to make military careers more appealing to young adults who will be eligible to enlist in the next four years. Most of those young adults, the press release said, will be people of color.
The bill is also meant to address military retention challenges by specifically codifying nondiscrimination language, with regards to considering career-oriented moves like promotions and advancement.