Government shutdown could hinge on fight over ‘woke’ military policies – By Leo Shane III (Military Times) / Aug 22, 2023
A group of conservative lawmakers is vowing to oppose any federal budget extension and risk a partial government shutdown unless congressional leaders promise to end all “woke” military policies and agree to other political concessions.
The move heightens already growing fears that troops and Defense Department civilians could see their paychecks stopped and their job responsibilities paused at the start of October because of political infighting. Government appropriations for the current fiscal year run out on Sept. 30.
On Monday, members of the influential House Freedom Caucus released a statement outlining demands for upcoming negotiations on the federal budget. House Republican leaders will need to appease some or all of the caucus’s 45 members to pass any budget deal, or get cooperation from Democrats on a spending plan.
Without a short-term extension of current spending levels or a long-term budget deal, numerous federal agencies — including the Department of Defense — would be forced to stop paying employees and shutter most activities.
