Senate Democrats rolled out legislation today to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which bars homosexuals from serving openly in the military.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who chairs the Homeland Security Committee and co-sponsored the legislation, said todaythat the law “is inconsistent with our most important national values and diminishes our military readiness.”
Lieberman added, in a statement:
The bottom line is that we have a volunteer military. If Americans want to serve, they ought to have the right to be considered for that service regardless of characteristics such as race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Repealing the current policy will allow more patriotic Americans to defend our national security and live up to our nation’s founding values of freedom and opportunity.
The bill’s other sponsors include the following senators:
Carl Levin (D-MI), Mark Udall (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Roland Burris (D-IL), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Al Franken (D-MN)
