Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Statement

I'm proud to have been a cosponsor of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," (DADT), the military's discriminatory policy that forced gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to keep their sexuality secret at the risk of being discharged. DADT was implemented 17 years ago and has had a detrimental effect on our military ever since. The Army and Marine Corps were forced to reduce standards of eligibility, including issuing "moral waivers' to people with felony convictions. Meanwhile, our military was forced to discharge nearly 14,000 U.S. troops on the basis of sexual orientation, including hundreds of Arabic and Farsi interpreters. These are critical positions requiring specialized skills and we turned qualified Americans away. The repeal passed the House on December 15th and was signed into law by the President on December 22nd. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen testified in Congress in support of the repeal. Now, all service members will be able to serve with dignity, regardless of their sexuality.

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