[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 167 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2162-E2163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL REPEAL ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 15, 2010

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
legislation to repeal the discriminatory ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' 
Policy.
  Enacted in 1993, DADT was billed as a compromise that would allow gay 
and lesbian Americans to serve their country in the Armed Forces 
without harming military effectiveness or violating privacy rights. 
After over 15 years of experience, it is clear this policy is a 
failure.
  Over 14,000 service members have been discharged under DADT, 
including more than 800 mission-critical troops and dozens of Arabic 
and Farsi linguists. A Government Accountability Office report and 
independent studies have estimated the cost of this policy, in lost 
recruitment and training costs, at over $350 million. Yet, from 2003-
2007, the military lowered medical, conduct, and education standards 
significantly in order to meet recruitment goals. Serious misdemeanors 
and felony conviction waivers increased from 5,000 to over 10,000, 
including 3 soldiers who had been convicted of manslaughter, 11 
convicted of arson, 142 convicted of burglary, and 7 convicted of rape 
or sexual assault. Discharging qualified gay soldiers while 
simultaneously lowering the enlistment standards for others weakens our 
military.
  DADT also offends the values of our country, discriminating against 
some individuals based upon an innate characteristic that has no 
bearing on the ability to serve honorably in the military. Currently, 
24 other nations allow openly gay service, including Australia, Israel, 
Great Britain and Canada. Numerous studies have found no adverse effect 
on enrollment or retention in any of these countries. On the

[[Page E2163]]

other hand, nations like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran all ban 
gay service. I believe the interests of the U.S. are best served by 
following the lead of other democratic nations, our allies, rather than 
the policies of the most oppressive regimes in the world.
  Study after study has shown that open service does not affect 
military readiness or unit cohesion. In the recently released 
Department of Defense review, 70 percent of service members responded 
that repeal would not have a negative effect on the military. Of those 
who had actually served alongside someone who they thought to be gay. 
92 percent of respondents said that it did not have an impact on unit 
cohesion. Repeal is also strongly supported by the American public, 
with a recent Washington Post poll showing 77 percent of the public 
supports open military service. It is clear our Nation and our military 
is ready for this change.
  The most urgent reason for repeal, however, is that DADT places 
honorable young men and women in the decidedly dishonorable position of 
lying about who they are in order to serve. It is unconscionable that 
we would continue to make the lives of soldiers, many of whom face 
daily threats to their lives, more difficult by placing upon them the 
burden of lying about their sexual orientation.
  Earlier this year, I read into the Congressional Record an email from 
a current service member who happens to be gay. He shared how he and 
his partner of 10 years managed the stress and hardship that comes with 
3 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite their shared sacrifices, 
his partner receives no official support from the military. would not 
be the first to be informed of his death, and cannot make emergency 
decisions. While serving in active duty, he was aware of several other 
soldiers who were gay. In one case, he didn't know a friend was gay 
until after he died of wounds from an IED and received a letter from 
the deceased soldier's partner expressing how much he had loved the 
Army and the sense of family he felt among his fellow soldiers. These 
are the real victims of DADT.
  No one should have to lie in order to serve, but that is what current 
policy requires for the estimated 65,000 gay and lesbian Americans 
currently in the military. The time for debate, and procrastination, 
and procedural stalling tactics is over. The choice today is clear: 
continue to stand beside a harmful and discriminatory policy that the 
American public and our Nation's military leaders do not support or 
vote to repeal it.
  I encourage my colleagues to do the right thing--support this 
legislation, and finally put an end to the era of ``Don't Ask, Don't 
Tell.''

                          ____________________