ACLU statement on Don't Ask, Don't Tell legislation

Dear ACLU Supporter,

We're on the verge of an historic vote to end a great injustice and need your help to achieve a victory. Please contact your senators right now.

We haven't said this about many Congressional issues lately, but victory is within reach. I'm talking about the repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy.

But, we need you to help make this victory happen.

The House voted yesterday to pass a standalone DADT repeal bill. Now, the bill goes to the Senate and could be voted on as early as this weekend.

Please contact your senators right now. Tell them you want "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repealed.

A federal court has ruled DADT unconstitutional. President Obama, Defense Secretary Gates, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all support ending DADT. Now that the House has voted to end this discriminatory policy, we must keep the pressure on the Senate. Lesbian, gay and bisexual service members are devoting themselves to our country with courage and distinction. They should never be asked to deny who they are or hide who they love for fear of seeing their military careers terminated.

We're on the verge of an historic vote to end a great injustice and need your help to achieve a victory. Please contact your senators right now.

Thanks for all your support,

Anthony D. Romero Executive Director ACLU

HRC Facebook campaign: Tell seven key senators to repeal DADT

Now that the House has once again voted to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the Senate faces its last, best chance to end DADT this year. Last week, the Senate was just three votes shy of moving forward to repeal this discriminatory law. But seven key senators who voted against us last time will make all the difference this time around. We need your help to reach out to everyone you know in ANY of these senators' states: Alaska, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, and West Virginia. HRC's made it easy – just post this action on Facebook and tell your friends about this critical vote!

Statement by Press Secretary Geoff Morrell on House Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell made the following statement after the House vote to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell on Dec. 15:

"Secretary Gates is pleased that the House of Representatives has voted to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. He encourages the Senate to pass the legislation this session, enabling the Department of Defense to carefully and responsibly manage a change in this policy instead of risking an abrupt change resulting from a decision in the courts."

U.S. House Votes to End Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted 250-175 on legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). This historic action is the second time the House passed repeal legislation this year. In May the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to which repeal legislation was successfully attached. 

“Today the U.S. House of Representatives said, for the second time, what military leaders, the majority of our troops and 80 percent of the American public have been saying all along – the only thing that matters on the battlefield is the ability to do the job,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “We are grateful to Majority Leader Hoyer and Rep. Murphy for championing repeal and for Speaker Pelosi’s continuing leadership. The Senate must now follow their lead.”

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) introduced the free-standing DADT repeal bill yesterday, H.R. 6520. The new bill is identical to the language in Rep. Murphy’s DADT repeal amendment that passed in the House in May. Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the companion bill, S.4023, last week after the failed Senate vote to proceed to debate the National Defense Authorization Act, to which repeal legislation was attached. The Senate bill currently has 48 bipartisan cosponsors.

“Momentum is on the side of ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The leadership of Rep. Murphy and Majority Leader Hoyer was critical to passage in the House. Now it is up to the Senate to consign this failed and discriminatory law to the dustbin of history.”

White House releases statement on House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2965 - Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

The White House has released the following statement in the regards to the recent stand-alone Don't Ask, Don't Tell amendment:

The Administration strongly supports House passage of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2965, which would repeal the statute underlying "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" after the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the necessary policies and regulations related to the statutory repeal is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces.  Congressional enactment of this legislation would allow a repeal to be implemented under terms and a timetable that would be informed by the advice of our military leadership.

The recently-released comprehensive study by the Department of Defense shows that overwhelming majorities of our Service members are prepared to serve with Americans who are openly gay or lesbian; it concludes that overall, and with thorough preparation, there would be low risk associated with the repeal.  The existing statute weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness, integrity, and equality.

New lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Three former servicemembers have filed a suit in federal court seeking an end to the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on the grounds that it violates the U.S. Constitution. Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis says he hopes the move increases pressure on Congress to do away with the law that mandates that policy.

SLDN applauds new plan to repeal DADT

In response to House Leadership's announcement of a new plan this morning to repeal “Don’t Ask” in the waning days of lame-duck session with a U.S. House vote expected tomorrow, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network released the following statement from Aubrey Sarvis, Army veteran and the group's executive director:

 “We applaud House Speaker Pelosi, Reps. Hoyer and Murphy for their extraordinary leadership in the waning hours of the lame-duck session. Let’s be clear: we’ll still need 60 votes in the Senate.  This ‘privileged’ House bill will need to pass the full House and then move to the Senate.  While we avoid a cloture vote to proceed and save time on the Senate floor, we’ll still need 60 votes to complete the bill and send it directly to the President’s desk.  Repeal supporters need to contact their House member to vote for repeal tomorrow.  We also need to keep the pressure on the Senate and not relent.  Time remains the enemy and Senators need to complete the bill before leaving for holiday vacation.  Get on the phone and help hold the frontlines."

DADT Repeal Stand-Alone Bill Introduced in the House

Today the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, applauded Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Rep. Patrick Murphy for introducing a free-standing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) repeal bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) (pictured left) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the companion bill, S.4023, last week after the failed Senate vote to proceed to debate on the National Defense Authorization Act. The Senate bill currently has 40 bipartisan cosponsors.

“Introduction of a House repeal bill is a strong indicator that momentum is on the side of an end to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “With the leadership of Rep. Murphy and Leader Hoyer, support for DADT repeal in Congress is at an all-time high. It is up to Congress to act this year to send this failed and discriminatory law to the dustbin of history.”

“The time to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell has come. Already, two dozen other nations, including Israel and Great Britain, allow their troops to serve openly with no detriment to unit cohesion. As an Army veteran of the Iraq War, I’m insulted by those who claim that our troops are somehow less professional or mission-capable than the troops of these foreign nations. I’m proud to stand with the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the majority of servicemembers and the American public who all support repeal of this discriminatory policy that harms our national security and military readiness,” said Rep. Murphy.

Momentum Grows for Stand-Alone DADT Repeal Bill

The effort to pass “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal legislation as a stand-alone measure is gaining momentum with 40 bipartisan cosponsors already, today said the Human Rights Campaign. Last week after the Senate failed to take up the Defense Authorization Bill to which DADT repeal language is attached, Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) led a group of Senators in proposing an alternative legislative strategy that would pass repeal language apart from the defense bill. The new measure is S.4023.

“The strong list of initial co-sponsors adds momentum to getting legislative repeal of DADT done this year,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Now the question is whether the Senate and House will take up this measure quickly and get it to the President’s desk. There should be no excuses for inaction.”

“The already large and growing number of my colleagues who are quickly signing on to this bill shows the high level of continuing commitment to repealing DADT before Congress goes home this year,” said Senator Lieberman.

“Like our closest allies, the United States’ Armed Forces should welcome the service of any qualified individual who is willing and capable of serving our country,” said Sen. Collins. “After hearing powerful testimony from Secretary of Defense Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen, and reviewing the results of the Pentagon report, I remain convinced that the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy,’ implemented under President Clinton, should be repealed. And, I agree with Secretary Gates that the issue should be decided by Congress, not the courts.”

The following is a list of cosponsors as of December 13:

Sen. Daniel Akaka, (D-HI)
Sen. Michael Bennet, (D-CO) - pictured
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, (D-NM)
Sen. Barbara Boxer, (D-CA)
Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D-OH)
Sen. Maria Cantwell, (D-WA)
Sen. Benjamin Cardin, (D-MD)
Sen. Robert Casey, (D-PA)
Sen. Susan Collins, (R-ME)
Sen. Chris Coons, (D-DE)
Sen. Chris Dodd, (D-CT)
Sen. Richard Durbin, (D-IL)
Sen. Russ Feingold, (D-WI)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D-CA)
Sen. Al Franken, (D-MN)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-NY)
Sen. Kay Hagan, (D-NC)
Sen. Tom Harkin, (D-IA)
Sen. John Kerry, (D-MA)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, (D-MN)
Sen. Mary Landrieu, (D-LA)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, (D-NJ)
Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-VT)
Sen. Carl Levin, (D-MI)
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, (I-CT)
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, (D-AR)
Sen. Robert Menendez, (D-NJ)
Sen. Jeff Merkley, (D-OR)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, (D-MD)
Sen. Patty Murray, (D-WA)
Sen. Harry Reid, (D-NV)
Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-VT)
Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D-NY)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, (D-NH)
Sen. Arlen Specter, (D-PA)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, (D-MI)
Sen. Mark Udall, (D-CO)
Sen. Tom Udall, (D-NM)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, (D-RI)
Sen. Ron Wyden, (D-OR)

“The one true measure of success is allowing patriotic men and women the opportunity to lend their talents in service to their country,” added Solmonese. “We’ll soon find out if promises made will be promises kept.”

DADT Repeal: A Silver Lining?

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

The Senate failed to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but a surprising turn-of-events could be a glimmer of hope for those working toward repeal.

Sen. Michael Bennet releases stament on blocked defense bill, Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement after a minority of senators blocked the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have provided pay raises for service members, body armor to keep them safe and repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy banning gays from serving openly in the military: 

“Washington’s political games are preventing us from moving forward on a critical bill that supports our troops and keeps our country safe.  It makes no sense to me, or to the people of Colorado, that partisanship stands in the way of a pay raise for our troops or the provision of the resources they need to carry out their missions.  Our military men and women deserve better than a politics that holds their pay and their support hostage for political gain.

“I’m also disappointed a minority of senators blocked us from moving forward on the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Military leaders and a solid majority of the American people agree that it’s time to relegate this outdated and short-sighted policy to the dustbin of history.  It’s time to stop denying brave and patriotic Americans the opportunity to serve their country, and it’s time to put aside

DADT vote tonight?

In a surprising move, Sen. Harry Reid just announced on the Senate floor that he might bring the Defense Authorization bill -- including a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- to a vote TONIGHT!

It's extremely important that you call your senators right now at (202) 224-3121 and demand that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" must end BEFORE the new Congress takes over. After you hang up, please click the link below and tell the Courage Campaign what happened on your call:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/CallNow

Joe Rehyansky's intelligent arguments against gays in the military

Hunky veteran Joe Rehyansky (pictured) recently wrote an editorial for The Daily Caller in which he listed a number of intelligent arguments against allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Among them:

1. They will look at your weiner in the shower! Says Rehyansky, "shouldn’t the overwhelmingly straight warriors who answer their county’s call be spared the indignity of showering with other men who achieve lascivious enjoyment from the sight of those lithe naked bodies?"

2. They're sex-crazed! Rehyansky says that monogamous, stable gay men are "rarer than hyperactive sloths."

3. They're diseased! Says Rehyansky, "... gays spread disease at a rate out of all proportion to their numbers in our population and should be excluded from the military."

Thanks to Daily Beast for including Joe Rehyansky in their 'This Week in Crazy" column and pointing out the ridiculousness of the people who are against the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. And, as they point out, the piece ended with Rehyansky writing, 
"My solution would get the distaff part of our homosexual population off our collective "Broke Back," thus giving straight male GIs a fair shot at converting lesbians and bringing them into the mainstream."

How crazy (and horrifying) is that?

The Daily Caller later removed that particular sentence from the insightful and intelligent piece.

Service Chiefs Pledge to Faithfully Implement DADT Repeal

Speaking today before a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Chiefs of the military services all expressed that they would successfully implement “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal should Congress change the law. Testifying were General James Cartwright, General George Casey, Admiral Gary Roughead, General James Amos, General Norton Schwartz and Admiral Robert Papp.

Among the six testifying, three expressed that the law should be repealed and three gave a mixed reaction, expressing some opposition to repeal at this time. Only one – Marine Commandant General James Amos – expressed his opinion that there could be strong disruption. In contrast his fellow Marine, General Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, made clear that not only could Marines carry out successful repeal but also there was “benefit derived from being a force identified by honesty & inclusivity.” General Amos did however express that he and his Marines would “faithfully support the law.”

“Not only do a majority of senior military leaders support repeal, they are unanimous that they will faithfully carry out any repeal passed by Congress,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The vast majority of the American people are looking for action as are the thousands of men and women currently serving in silence.”

The witnesses were unanimous in their opinion that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will be repealed eventually and that it was just a question of timing. The language of the legislation being considered by the Congress would in fact give the military exactly the control of the timing of implementation for which they’ve asked. 

“A failure of Congress to act now will tie the hands of military leaders who have asked for the power to implement the changes that their research lays out,” said Solmonese. “The time to vote for repeal is now.”

Today’s testimony comes after senior uniformed and civilian military leaders made an ironclad case for DADT repeal yesterday. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen, General Carter Ham and Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson all made clear that they saw few hurdles to implementation of open service by gays and lesbians and that they were confident that the military would execute such a repeal without long-term consequences.

“America’s men and women in uniform are professionals who already serve with gays and lesbians and repeal will do nothing to change their dedication to protecting our nation,” said Solmonese. “The working group found clearly that military effectiveness will not be compromised by removing this stain on our service members’ integrity.”

In contrast to Committee Ranking Member John McCain, all of the service chiefs expressed confidence in the report of the Pentagon’s Comprehensive Working Group. It is one of more than twenty studies from both the military and outside organizations that make an ironclad case for repeal.

Military Leaders Make Ironclad Case for DADT Repeal

Speaking today before a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, senior uniformed and civilian military leaders made an ironclad case for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal adding further momentum to action in this Congress, said the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. Testifying on the Pentagon’s Comprehensive Working Group report on implementation of DADT repeal, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen, General Carter Ham and Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson all made clear that there are few hurdles to implementation of open service by gays and lesbians and that they were confident that the military would execute such a repeal without long-term consequences. HRC President Joe Solmonese released the following statement:

“Senators said they wanted to hear from military leaders and now they have their answers. The highest ranks of the Pentagon made clear that repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will allow every qualified man and woman to serve without sacrificing the high standards that have made our military great. The small handful of Senators blocking repeal no longer have any fig leaves behind which to hide.

“America’s men and women in uniform are professionals who already serve with gays and lesbians and repeal will do nothing to change their dedication to protecting our nation. The working group found clearly that military effectiveness will not be compromised by removing this stain on our service members’ integrity.

“After more than twenty studies from both the military and outside organizations, it is time for this debate to close. Further, a failure of Congress to act now will tie the hands of military leaders who have asked for the power to implement the changes that their research lays out. The time for repeal is now.”

Statement by President Obama on DOD Report on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

President Obama has just released the following statement on Don't Ask, Don't Tell following a recent report:

As Commander in Chief, I have pledged to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law because it weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness and equality by preventing patriotic Americans who are gay from serving openly in our armed forces.  At the same time, as Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that we understand the implications of this transition, and maintain good order and discipline within our military ranks. That is why I directed the Department of Defense earlier this year to begin preparing for a transition to a new policy. 

Today’s report confirms that a strong majority of our military men and women and their families—more than two thirds—are prepared to serve alongside Americans who are openly gay and lesbian.  This report also confirms that, by every measure—from unit cohesion to recruitment and retention to family readiness—we can transition to a new policy in a responsible manner that ensures our military strength and national security. And for the first time since this law was enacted 17 years ago today, both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have publicly endorsed ending this policy.

With our nation at war and so many Americans serving on the front lines, our troops and their families deserve the certainty that can only come when an act of Congress ends this discriminatory policy once and for all.  The House of Representatives has already passed the necessary legislation.  Today I call on the Senate to act as soon as possible so I can sign this repeal into law this year and ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally.  Our troops represent the virtues of selfless sacrifice and love of country that have enabled our freedoms. I am absolutely confident that they will adapt to this change and remain the best led, best trained, best equipped fighting force the world has ever known. 

Help Lady Gaga help us

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), announced today that Lady Gaga released an online video message directed to her supporters and followers to push for repeal in the senate lame-duck session.   

Re-tweet Gaga now: RT @LadyGaga A message from Gaga http://bit.ly/g8cI68.

McCain, Graham take to the airwaves to oppose military ban repeal

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this weekend said Republicans will block a vote on repealing "Don't ask, don't tell." Graham told Fox News the effort was "not going anywhere," and McCain told CNN the drive to repeal the policy was little more than a political exercise to fulfill a campaign promise made by an "inexperienced" candidate, referring to President Barack Obama, who beat McCain in the 2008 election.

Senate hearings on "Don't ask, don't tell" set to begin this week

A last ditch effort to secure a legislative repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell" kicks into high gear this week, with Senate hearings set for Thursday and Friday, during which the nation's top military brass is expected to testify.

They'll likely be grilled about the results of the Pentagon's troop survey on the issue, which are due to be released Tuesday. President Barack Obama is aware of the results, and they should bolster the case for repeal, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday, while Obama met with Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Oval Office to discuss the issue.

Pentagon report proves gay should serve in the military

The Pentagon’s Comprehensive Working Group studying how to implement repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has found few hurdles to implementation of open service by gays and lesbians, according to their report released today. The news provides tremendous momentum for upcoming Senate action on repeal, said the Human Rights Campaign.

“This issue has been studied for fifty years, including by the military itself, and the results from over twenty-two studies are uniform: open service does not harm effectiveness,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The small handful of Senators blocking repeal no longer have any fig leaves behind which to hide. The time for repeal is now.”

A survey of troops – while not a referendum on repeal but rather a tool to gauge attitudes about repeal – showed that seventy percent of service members thought having an openly gay or lesbian colleague in their unit would have either a positive, mixed or no effect. For those who believe they have already worked with a gay or lesbian service member, ninety-two percent say their unit’s ability to work together was very good, good or neither good nor poor.

“America’s men and women in uniform are professionals who already serve with gays and lesbians and repeal will do nothing to change their dedication to protecting our nation,” said Solmonese. “Senators who said they want to hear from military leaders and troops now have their answers. Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will allow every qualified man and woman to serve without sacrificing the high standards that have made our military great.”

Twenty-five nations allow open service by gays and lesbians and all of them have implemented repeal of their bans without major disruptions – including close allies such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel. Further, a failure of Congress to act now will tie the hands of military leaders who have asked for the power to implement the changes that today’s report lays out.