Last week’s column mentioned an effort in Congress to ban using tax dollars to sponsor sports.

On Wednesday, in a move that defied the typical party divide, the House of Representatives narrowly voted to preserve sports sponsorship.

According to an Associated Press story, the House voted 216-202 to defeat an amendment that would have axed sports spending, most of which is part of military recruitment efforts.

Opponents of the spending, which would amount to $73 million in fiscal 2013, say it’s wrong to spend money on sports during a time when the military is facing significant budget cuts. They also say there is no evidence the sponsorships actually work in luring recruits.

The money sponsors a wide range of sports, including pro fishing and ultimate fighting, but NASCAR gets the biggest portion.

While just about every close vote these days seems to fall along party lines, this one did not. Voting to preserve the money were 156 Republicans and 60 Democrats, while about 50 Republicans voted to ban sponsorships. Rep. Jack Kingston, a pro-military Georgia Republican, co-sponsored the amendment to end the funding, calling it wasteful.

Proponents said the spending is based on research that the sort of people the military wants to attract are passionate about sports such as NASCAR and pro-fishing.

The Army decided on its own last week that it will no longer be a NASCAR sponsor after this season, saying it had not seen evidence the spending was having an impact on recruiting.

Litchfield started at Robins

Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, the first commander of new Air Force Sustainment Center, started his career at Robins Air Force Base.

At Tuesday’s ceremony establishing the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, which falls under Litchfield’s command, he spoke with fondness of his time at Robins from 1981 to 1985. In that span he went from a second lieutenant to a captain. He named several people at the base who gave him help and guidance.

When he left Robins, he recalled the colonel he worked under giving him the eagle insignia a colonel wears.

“He said ‘Some day, you are going to need them,’ ” Litchfield recalled. “Probably the reason I am here today is the start I had at Robins Air Force Base.”

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.