Over Clinton administration opposition, the House National Security Committee Wednesday voted for separate military training for women and men, accepting the argument that the change could thwart sexual misconduct and distractions, the Associated Press reported. "All we're trying to do is get basic training back to basic training, not social experimentation," said Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss.
Under the legislation, the Army, Navy and Air Force would be required to house and train male and female recruits separately, something the Marine Corps already does.
A panel headed by former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum-Baker, R-Kan., studied the question last year after a sex scandal at an Army base in Aberdeen, Md., and recommended separate basic training for all military services.
Opponents on the National Security Committee, in debating the defense authorization bill, said separating men from women during training will work against cohesion in the field and could result in less equality for female soldiers in the male-dominated armed forces.
"It will roll back opportunities for women. ... It will not reduce sexual misconduct," argued Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. "We learned long ago that a policy of separate but equal results in unequal opportunities."
NEXT STORY: Cohen orders review in base-closing flap