DADT Repeal To Be Folded Into 2010 Defense Funding Bill
11/11/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Next year’s Defense Appropriation’s bill will include language which will repeal the law known as Don’t Ask, Don’t tell. The tactic is similar to that used to enact the Matthew Shepard Act into law. It entails placing the legislation as an amendment to a bill being considered. Should this work, the repeal would go into effect on 1 October 2010.
While President Barack Obama has been openly critical of DADT and asked for it to be repealed, he has not done a significant amount of lobbying for the repeal. According to Representative Barney Frank, the President does support ending the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the United State’s military.
Several countries allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, including several which have been working actively with the United States military in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
According to Representative Frank, “‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ was always going to be part of the military authorization.” It seems unlikely that this was the original plan since the Military Readiness Enhancement Act has been introduced; however, given the reluctance of some within Congress to touch LGBT related issues, this may have been the backup plan. Recently, several Democrats from ‘red’ districts have voiced reluctance to deal with DADT or the Defense of Marriage Act.
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Anyone who believes that Congress is going to pass any legislation to repeal DADT a month prior to the 2010 mid-term elections is fooling themselves. Rep. Frank’s statement is nothing more than an effort to stall this issue even further.Meanwhile, gay and lesbian servicemembers continue to do the country’s work on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the homefront. They serve their country without being afforded the dignity of being able to tell the truth. They lie and deceive their chain of command as a matter of Congressional mandate. They go to the battlefield knowing that their possible death will never be communicated in official channels to their same sex partners. They leave their partners behind without the support network and resources afforded to other military spouses.This policy needs to be repealed today. Advocating a strategy that delays action for another year, while gay and lesbian servicemembers continue to offer their lives in two wars, is deplorable.
I tend to agree that Frank is responding more to the fact that the Kos and several others have launched a serious funding boycott on the DNC… and many LGBT’s are now also threating to pull support from the Health care bill as well…
Personally I have lived this nightmare… my late partner Debbie was a pilot with the Navy… so I know all about the lack of a support net for LGBT service partners.
I also agree that if they really want to show us they are serious… then Obama needs to sign an executive order ending the policy till it can get final repeal in congress.
I really do not understand how Congress works at all. I realize conservatives might be saying this sarcastically… but, why not attach a repeal of DOMA on there too since this Defense bill MUST pass, and stalling it is political suicide?
I find it disgusting that the civil rights of lgbt people are tied to war funding. Should we be celebrating the fact that our freedoms are being paid for with the blood of Iraqi and Afghan children? Fuck you, Barney Frank.