Senate Drops Anti-Gay Provisions From Defense Budget

As happened last year, the Senate has approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) without including the multiple anti-gay provisions advanced by the House. Among the provisions House Republicans added this year was Rep. Todd Akin’s (R-MO) “license to bully” provision, which would have justified anti-gay discrimination and harassment based on religious beliefs or moral principles. Another would have prevented same-sex marriages on any military property, even in states where they are legally recognized.