Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) proposed the amendment last year, and it failed. This year, however, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) took it up, and it passed. Kingston called cutting sports sponsorships a “great place to send a signal.”

Bill Young (R-Fla.) did not support the measure because he felt that the military should be visible in the community, but the amended passed on a voice vote.

Should this bill make it through the Senate, the teams that would be affected would be the No. 39 Stewart Haas Racing Chevy driven by Ryan Newman, which is sponsored by the U.S. Army;   the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford driven by Aric Almirola, which will be sponsored by the U.S. Air Force at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway.

It is unclear whether or not the bill would affect the National Guard sponsorship, which appears on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Technically, the National Guard is not an armed force. It is a federally-recognized militia. That, however, may be a distinction without a difference.

The next step for the bill would be to be voted on by the House. If it passes, then it would move on to the Senate, where it would be assignment to a committee and voted on there. If it passes the Senate, then the differences between the House and Senate versions must be worked out before being sent back to the House and Senate for final approval.

Then it would head to the President for signing into law.

USA TODAY also reported the story.

The Army is leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s No 8 Chevy at the end of the season.

Jayski is reporting that the U.S. Army is exploring its sponsorship options in 2009. It is rumored to be considering one of Bill Davis Racing’s Toyotas next season.