Military bands would see their tour dates slashed under a plan added to the House's annual defense spending bill on Thursday.
Members of Navy Band Northeast perform before a Cincinnati Reds Military Appreciation Day baseball game during the first official event of Navy Week Dayton 2016.
Photo Credit: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Nicholas Lingo/Navy
The move, pushed by Arizona Republican Rep. Martha McSally, would limit all military ensemble performances at social functions outside official military duties. That would include dances, parties and dinners held mainly for entertainment purposes.
McSally, a retired Air Force colonel, called the move a way to "help us guide reprioritization of defense spending" at a time of fiscal constraints.
"I believe the bands play an important role," she said during a House floor speech Thursday. "But in my 26 years in the military, I used to be at Christmas parties with wing commanders and generals, and we would have active-duty military entertaining us. It bothered me.
"For every dollar that is spent on our bands to entertain at social functions, that's a dollar we're not spending on national security and our troops and families."
McSally's plan passed unanimously by voice vote. The proposal will still need to be approved by the Senate and survive conference negotiations before it becomes law, but Republican House leaders promised to work with McSally in the months ahead to ensure that happens.
According to Defense Department estimates, military bands spend about $437 million on instruments, uniforms and travel expenses each year. McSally said many military band performances could be backfilled by civilian bands, freeing up defense funds for more pressing priorities.
"This is not an attack on the art," she said. "I'm a vocalist myself. I care deeply about the arts. ... While our communities certainly do enjoy being entertained by our military bands, they would prefer to be protected by our military."
Military band performances at funerals, department ceremonies and similar events would not be affected by the plan.
Earlier this year, House lawmakers included language mandating a full review of military band operations and spending as part of their draft of the annual defense authorization bill.
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
