It’s a big threat –shut down the budget for the entire Defense Department because a few same-sex couples might want to rent military base facilities to host their weddings.
But that’s what Buck McKeon, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, claims he’s prepared to do.
The comment came in response to a question during an interview Sunday on C-SPAN’s Newsmakers program. A reporter noted that, unlike the House committee, its Senate counterpart was unlikely to include a provision to ban same-sex couples from using base facilities.
The reporter asked, “Is that something you’re really willing to go to the mat over?”
Naturally, McKeon said “sure, I feel very strongly about that.”
Truth be told, McKeon had to say that because all party leaders are compelled to say they’ll go to the mat for the things their committees pass. But McKeon’s expanded answer provides a bigger clue to what’s going on. He noted, “DOMA is the law of the land.” And that’s likely what is driving McKeon’s willingness to threaten passage of a critical defense spending bill. It’s not just sour grapes over the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; it’s also drawing the line to protect another Republican favorite –the Defense of Marriage Act.