LAMBDA LEGAL ARCHIVE SITETHIS SITE IS NO LONGER MAINTAINED. TO SEE OUR MOST RECENT CASES AND NEWS, VISITNEW LAMBDALEGAL.ORG

DADT Begins to Fall

Congress takes major steps toward ending discriminatory military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

An end to the military ban on openly gay and lesbian service members is in sight, after key congressional votes Thursday night.

Both the full House and the Senate Armed Forces Committee approved amendments to a defense bill that would let the Pentagon repeal the policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

A full Senate vote is expected soon. The House plans to vote on the full defense bill on Friday.

"Yesterday we were proud to see a majority of legislators vote to end government sponsored discrimination in the military," said Hayley Gorenberg, Deputy Legal Director of Lambda Legal. "But the job is not yet finished. There are critical steps that still must be taken to stop gay and lesbian soldiers from being discharged."

Under a compromise between the Obama administration, the Pentagon and congressional leaders, a full repeal will only happen after the military completes a review of the policy, and requires approval from the President, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen.

"The military is our nation's largest employer—government sanctioned employment discrimination must end," Lambda Legal Executive Kevin Cathcart said. "Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has worked tirelessly to see this day, and I have no doubt they will not give up until openly gay soldiers can serve our country with pride and without fear of discharge. Lambda Legal brought the first lawsuit against discrimination in the military in 1975. This has been a long struggle—we won't give up either."

Date:
May 28, 2010