House Republicans All Vote Against Neo-Nazi Probe of Military, Police

The House has approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to compel government officials to prepare a report on combating white supremacists and neo-Nazi activity in the police and military, despite every Republican voting against the measure.

The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Brad Schneider, was passed in a 218-208 party-line vote on Wednesday. All 208 votes against the amendment came from House Republicans, one of whom described it as “Orwellian.”

The “Schneider Amendment” called for the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Defense to publish a report that sets out ways to combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi activity in the uniformed services and law enforcement agencies “not later than 180 days after enactment and every 6 months thereafter.”

The amendment called for the total number of people who were discharged from the military or police because of their links to or support for far-right extremism to be published.

The amendment also states that the report the government is being asked to write should detail how agency leaders responded to “planned or effectuated incidents” connected to white supremacist or neo-Nazi activity,” according to a report in The Hill.

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Arizona GOP congressman Andy Biggs was one of those who spoke out against the amendment, describing it as “Orwellian in nature.”

“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.

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