The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a plan that would keep the Meatless Mondays campaign out of the U.S. military.
Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., proposed an amendment to HR 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2017, that would ensure that meat remained a dietary option for those serving in the military by prohibiting the Department of Defense from excluding meat from its food service program manual.
A similar amendment was proposed in the Senate Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
“Ideologically-motivated activists are working to take meat off the menu in institutions across the country, and they have included the U.S. military on their list of targets. These restrictions would negatively impact the nutrition and morale of the men and women who protect our nation,” Smith stated in a press release.
“Meat contains vitamins and nutrients not readily available in a plant-based diet. My amendment is not a mandate or a prohibition – it simply ensures there is a meat option available to our troops each day. I am not willing to allow activist groups to tell members of our military, who risk their lives to keep us safe, they cannot enjoy a hamburger or steak on certain days of the week simply to advance an agenda against animal agriculture.”
