Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, who represents Washington’s 10th congressional district, has recently used her social media platform to criticize recent actions by members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and to comment on military policy debates.
On July 15, 2025, Strickland expressed concerns about efforts to undermine diversity and inclusion initiatives within the military. She wrote, “These attacks on diversity and inclusion have never been about doing what’s best for our military. Shame that @HASCRepublicans can’t put politics aside to do what’s right for our security.”
Later that day, she addressed the issue of nepotism in military appointments. On July 16, 2025, Strickland stated, “It’s obvious that nepotism shouldn’t be allowed in our military. @HASCRepublicans clearly don’t agree – they just blocked my amendment to only uplift the most qualified. Thinking like this is how we ended up with @SecDef Hegseth btw”
In another post on July 16, 2025, Strickland criticized a proposal from Secretary of Defense Hegseth and President Biden regarding the renaming of military bases. She wrote, “.@SecDef Hegseth and @POTUS want to name our military bases after Confederate leaders…WTF. @HASCDemocrats had to shut that down – glad that *almost* everyone agreed that honoring bigotry is wrong, and passed my amendment.”
Strickland’s comments reflect ongoing debates over diversity initiatives and historical commemoration in U.S. defense policy. The naming of military installations after Confederate figures has been a subject of national debate for several years; in previous legislative sessions, Congress enacted measures requiring such names be changed as part of broader efforts to address systemic racism within federal institutions.
The House Armed Services Committee plays a central role in shaping U.S. defense policy through its oversight responsibilities and consideration of amendments related to personnel policies and base naming practices.
