WASHINGTON (AFP) - The House of Representatives strongly rebuked US colleges and universities which forbid military recruiting on their campuses, at a time when the Pentagon is struggling find new potential soldiers.

Lawmakers by a vote of 327 to 84 approved a resolution endorsing aggressive White House enforcement of a law already allowing the Pentagon the power to deny federal funding to any college or university which prevents military recruitment on its campus.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay had some strong words for the colleges in question.

"Such policies are obnoxious in times of peace, but they are simply intolerable in times of war, and the equal access of our military recruiters to federally-funded colleges and universities must be protected," DeLay said.

"America in the future will no doubt need its brilliant businessmen, lawyers, and poets, but such genius will do us no good without brilliant admirals and generals to protect them," he added.

You betcha.

Given all the federal funding these universities get (along with the fact that many students wouldn't be able to attend college were it not for government-backed loans and grants) a few recruiting booths seems like a small price to pay. In fact, it doesn't seem like much of a price at all.