Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of repealing the Department of Defense's misguided, discriminatory ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' (DADT) policy.

For 16 years, ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' has placed an unthinkable and immoral burden on gay and lesbian servicemen and women, who, under United States law and unlike their heterosexual counterparts, must hide their sexual orientation from the military. If our Nation is truly to be the land of the free, home of the brave, we must continue to make progress towards equality. Repealing ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' is a crucial step forward.

Mr. Speaker, I was contacted by a gay soldier from Long Island who despite serving his country for more than 20 years, despite volunteering to serve in a combat zone to defend America's principles of freedom from tyranny and from persecution, and despite receiving two Bronze Stars for meritorious service to his country, is required by law to lie about who he is or face being discharged from the military. In his letter, he pleads for a repeal of ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' In reality, he is asking nothing more than to be treated exactly the same as other servicemen and women.

It is reprehensible that his Nation responds to his service by telling him he needs to ``shut up'' about who he is. Upon disclosing his sexual orientation, would his past 20 years of service be worth less? Would he suddenly be of no value to the military? Is he suddenly no longer a war hero? Is his 20 plus years of service suddenly an embarrassment? The answer of course, is absolutely not. Yet, our Nation's policy tells this soldier he's not desirable as is.

Mr. Speaker, it's a contradiction in the first degree. Our military, including this soldier who contacted me, puts their lives on the line to defend American principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, those who defend these principles are themselves discriminated against because of who they are.

This is also a self-defeating policy. Since ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' was implemented in 1994, more than 13,000 gay and lesbian service members have been discharged for no other reason than their sexual orientation. As the United States has fought wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq, hundreds of mission-critical troops, including crucial Arabic, Farsi, and other linguists, have been discharged because the Department of Defense believed they were gay. At the same time, the military has increasingly granted moral waivers to recruits with criminal backgrounds.

Mr. Speaker, the case is clear. There is no sound argument for maintaining this discriminatory policy. For the thousands of gay servicemen and women who so bravely serve our country every day but who live in constant fear of being discovered for who they are, for the principles of freedom and equality upon which the United States of America was founded, and in the interest of righting a wrong that has persisted for far too long, I rise in strong support of the bill before us and urge my colleagues to join me in honoring all American servicemen and women, regardless of their sexual orientation.

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