[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13825-13826]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      DON'T ASK DON'T TELL REPEAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for 5 minutes.

[[Page 13826]]


  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, today is a very important 
day in our fight to achieve full equality for all Americans in the face 
of prejudices of various sorts. To commemorate, I want to read a very 
extraordinary document. It is headlined, ``Don't Ask Don't Tell 
Repeal.'' It's an official communication.
  ``Today marks the end of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell.' The law is repealed. 
From this day forward, gay and lesbian soldiers may serve in our Army 
with the dignity and respect they deserve. Our rules, regulations, and 
policies reflect the repeal guidance issued by the Department of 
Defense and will apply uniformly without regard to sexual orientation, 
which is a personal and private matter.
  ``For over 236 years, the U.S. Army has been an extraordinary force 
for good in the world. Our soldiers are the most agile, adaptable, and 
capable warriors in history--and we are ready for this change.
  ``Over the last several months, our leaders, soldiers and Department 
of the Army civilians have discussed, trained, and prepared for this 
day. The President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs have certified that repeal is consistent with military 
readiness, effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention. 
Your professionalism, leadership, and respect for your fellow soldiers 
will ensure that this effort is successful.
  ``At the heart of our success is adherence to the Army values. These 
standards not only infuse every facet of our culture and operations, 
but also guide us as we adapt to change. Loyalty, duty, respect, 
selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage are not mere 
words to us--they are the very principles by which we live, train, and 
fight.
  ``Accordingly, we expect all personnel to follow our values by 
implementing the repeal fully, fairly, and in accordance with policy 
guidance. It is the duty of all personnel to treat each other with 
dignity and respect, while maintaining good order and discipline 
throughout our ranks. Doing so will help the U.S. Army remain the 
strength of the Nation.''
  It is signed by Raymond F. Chandler, III, the Sergeant Major of the 
Army; Raymond T. Odierno, General, United States Army Chief of Staff; 
and John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army and, parenthetically, our 
former colleague on the Republican side.

                              {time}  1220

  Mr. Speaker, we have a history in this country of prejudice being 
enacted; and through the efforts of many people, the policy embodying 
that prejudice can be overcome. And as we debate any single effort to 
overcome prejudice, we are told that the effect of diminishing that 
prejudice, the effect of repealing that rule will be chaos, will be 
disorder, will be social unrest; and it is never true.
  Seven years ago, the State I am privileged to represent in this House 
established same-sex marriage; and there were predictions of doom, 
predictions that this would be a terribly upsetting factor. None of 
those predictions have come true. Not a one. As we debated last year 
the repeal of the unfortunate statute which said that brave and 
patriotic gay and lesbian and bisexual and transgender members of the 
armed services would have to lie about who they were, would have to 
hide who they were or else lose the right to serve their country, a 
right which some evade but for which they were prepared to fight, we 
once again heard predictions that this would be disruptive, that it 
would cause diminution of the ability of our brave men and women to 
serve their purposes.
  Let me predict today, Mr. Speaker, that every one of those prejudices 
3 and 4 years from now will be proven as wrong as the predictions that 
same-sex marriage would be disorganizing. We will now see gay men and 
lesbians serving this country openly and proudly as they have been 
serving this country proudly, but unfortunately not openly, for some 
time. I hope people are making note of the predictions that were made 
on the floor of this House, in the Senate, and in the country about the 
negative consequences of ``don't ask don't tell,'' because they will 
soon be shown to have been wholly false.
  Finally, I want to commend Sergeant Major Chandler, General Odierno, 
and Secretary McHugh. This is a very profound and important document. 
They are acting in the highest traditions of their constitutional duty, 
of patriotism, and of respect for our constitutional principles. I 
welcome this statement, and I believe it is going to be proven to be a 
harbinger of a situation in which the full integration of gay and 
lesbian and bisexual and transgender members of the military goes 
forward with no negative consequences, with all of the positive 
consequences that come from respecting people and abolishing prejudice.

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