(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-WA) sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Armed Services Chairman Carl
Levin and Ranking Member John McCain urging the Committee to keep language that
would repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2011 as it is brought before the full Senate for consideration.
“As
you know, thousands of servicemembers have been separated from the
military, including many with critical military skills, under the
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. I have heard the stories of some of
the thousands of patriotic servicemembers whose valuable military
talents have been lost to our military. These men and women volunteered
to serve their country in a dangerous time, and their exclusion from the ranks
of the Armed Forces represents a glaring injustice as well as a limitation on
our military effectiveness,” wrote Senator Murray.
The full text of the letter appears below:
The Honorable Carl Levin
Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable John McCain
Ranking Member
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Chairman
Levin and Ranking Member McCain:
I
believe that now is the time for Congress to prohibit discrimination based on
sexual orientation in the military by repealing the statute underlying
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It was a huge step forward when the Senate
Committee on Armed Services included a repeal provision in the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. Now I urge you to ensure
that this provision remains in the bill as it is brought before the full Senate
for consideration.
As
you know, thousands of servicemembers have been separated from the
military, including many with critical military skills, under the
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. I have heard the stories of some of
the thousands of patriotic servicemembers whose valuable military
talents have been lost to our military. These men and women
volunteered to serve their country in a dangerous time, and their exclusion
from the ranks of the Armed Forces represents a glaring injustice as well as a
limitation on our military effectiveness.
As a
cosponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, I support a
responsible path towards repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” On May 27,
2010, the Armed Services Committee adopted a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal
amendment to S. 3454, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2011. This amendment reflects a compromise agreement
that would repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” statute
– but it would do so sixty days after the President, the
Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
certify that repeal “is consistent with the standards of military
readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention
of the Armed Forces.” It also ensures that the
views of servicemembers and their families on how repeal
should be implemented are understood and considered. I believe this
represents a sound legislative approach that would protect the civil rights of
American servicemembers while minimizing any potential disruption to military
personnel policies.
Thank
you for your continuing work on behalf of U.S. national security and the men
and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. I look forward to working with you in
the days ahead to pass a comprehensive defense authorization bill during this
Congress that addresses the most pressing of defense policy concerns – the
repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
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