An annual event put on by members of Congress to honor fallen servicewomen was canceled this year after the Navy, Air Force and Space Force bowed out, citing Pentagon and White House policies on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to the Democratic members of the caucus leading the event.

The Bipartisan Women’s Caucus’ 28th annual wreath-laying ceremony is typically held at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The Democratic Women’s Caucus announced the cancellation on Monday.

A spokesperson with the Democratic half of the caucus told Task & Purpose that the Navy and the Air Force (answering for the Space Force) declined to participate due to White House and Department of Defense policies that bar participation in diversity, equity and inclusion or identity-related celebrations. The spokesperson said that the Army cited scheduling conflicts due to the service’s birthday, but it “had never been an issue prohibiting them from participating before.”

The spokesperson for the caucus said that the Marine Corps did not respond to the invitation. However, a defense official told Task & Purpose that the Marines had planned to attend the event until it was canceled and that the Corps has “supported it each year as long as anyone can remember, to include 2025.”

An Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Task & Purpose that the service declined to participate “in compliance” with a January 2025 Executive Order on eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies across the military and Department of Defense-issued guidance that directs the services to not use official resources to “host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months.”

Army officials did not respond to Task & Purpose’s requests for comment in time for publication. Navy officials declined to comment and directed questions to the Department of Defense, which referred those questions back to the individual services.

A spokesperson for the Democratic Women’s Caucus said that “the branches have historically been supportive of the event.”

Instead of the wreath-laying ceremony, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus held a press conference on the Hill Wednesday morning. The vice chair of the caucus, Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), said the annual Arlington event is done to honor the service of women veterans, which should not be controversial. 

“Their contributions are a part of American history, and we should be expanding opportunities to recognize that service, not restricting it,” Sykes said. “It comes just days before Women’s Veterans Recognition Day, which is actually tomorrow, a day specifically set aside to recognize the contributions of women who have served our country. Instead of preparing to celebrate these women, we are here explaining why a ceremony dedicated to honoring them was effectively canceled.”

The ceremony was originally scheduled for May 20, but the event was postponed to June 10 due to congressional voting, the Democratic Women’s Caucus spokesperson told Task & Purpose.

A spokesperson for Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), who co-chairs the bipartisan caucus and represents Republican members, said the congresswoman planned to attend the Arlington event and give remarks until it was canceled.

At the press conference, veterans who currently serve in Congress also made it a point to address the larger politics that women in the services face, referencing news reports of servicewomen being held back in officer promotions, and Pentagon-issued studies designed to look into women’s “effectiveness” in combat jobs.

“Today’s cancellation is not happening in isolation,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), a former Air Force officer, said. “For months we’ve been watching women’s contributions to our military be questioned, be diminished, and be erased. We’ve seen accomplishments that women leaders have had being removed or demoted. We’ve seen programs supporting servicewomen dismantled, and we’ve seen the false suggestion that women who have met every single military standard somehow still do not belong.”