[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 22 (Wednesday, March 2, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REPEAL DON'T ASK DON'T TELL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 2, 2005

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to call attention to 
important legislation that has been introduced today, The Military 
Readiness Enhancement Act. I am an original cosponsor of this 
legislation which would replace ``Don't Ask Don't Tell,'' with a non-
discrimination policy for all military personnel.
  A decade ago, ``Don't Ask Don't Tell'' was enacted as a compromise to 
allow lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel to serve honorably 
in the military as long as they didn't disclose their sexual 
orientation. It was a bad policy then and it's a bad policy now. It has 
resulted in the discharge of more than 10,000 dedicated and trained 
military personnel merely on the basis of their sexual orientation.
  There are two issues this bill is addressing--military readiness and 
civil justice.
  Military readiness is being compromised by discharging critically 
needed military linguists to fight the Global War on Terrorism. Shortly 
after September 11, 2001, we can vividly remember the frantic search 
for linguists, particularly Arabic and Farsi speakers. But because of 
``Don't Ask Don't Tell,'' the Department of Defense has discharged 20 
Arabic linguists and 6 Farsi linguists for no other reason than their 
sexual orientation. No one can dispute that these linguists, who 
attended the Defense Language Institute located in my congressional 
district, are mission essential to the Global War on Terrorism. If we 
didn't think so before, surely we can agree now that language 
capability and proficiency is just as much of a weapon system as guns 
and bullets.
  Repealing ``Don't Ask Don't Tell'' is just as much a civil justice 
issue. It has created a separate class of people who are discriminated 
against based solely on their sexual orientation. Sixty years ago our 
military was at the forefront of the civil rights struggle by accepting 
African Americans as soldiers, sailors and airmen. The Military 
Readiness Enhancement Act will extend a non-discrimination policy for 
sexual orientation much as it did in adopting a color-blind non-
discrimination policy. Ending racism in the military, which produced 
military leaders like Colin Powell, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff 
and Secretary of State, was an advancement of civil rights for all 
Americans.
  The Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law for all 
citizens. Just because you decide to honorably serve your country by 
joining the military, doesn't mean you should have to forfeit the right 
to equal protection under the law.

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