Meehan Seeks to Overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

[AnnInLa]

Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., is planning to introduce a bill soon to repeal the Pentagon's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prevents gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military.

Meehan, who is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on oversight and investigation, introduced a similar bill in the last Congress that garnered 122 co-sponsors, including now Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Meehan's bill was bottled up by Republicans and never got out of committee. So far, roughly 70 lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors of the legislation, and Meehan is continuing to seek additional backers and wants to get to at least 100 before he drops his new bill.

Now, with Democrats in charge of Capitol Hill, Meehan's bill will likely garner more attention than it did last time, although getting it through the Congress and to President Bush will be a difficult challenge. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo, chairman of the full Armed Services Committee, is opposed to any change in Pentagon policy regarding gay service members.

"Our military is stretched to the breaking point," Meehan wrote in a "Dear Colleague" letter he circulated on Monday seeking backers for his bill. "Extended deployments and frequent redeployments are the norm for our Armed Forces right now. Everyone from the new Democratic leadership in Congress to Senator (John) McCain to President Bush has recognized that our military is not large enough to handle all of the demands placed upon it."

Meehan added: "Yet, because of the discriminatory policy set up in the 1993 more than 11,000 able-bodied, capable and willing soldiers, sailors, and airmen and women have been kicked out of the military for no other reason than their sexual orientation."

more at:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2646.html

[AndyA]

1. Sounds like a good idea to me.

I would bet most people would rather work with gay men and women than a bunch of adulterous, multiple divorced "Christians" who are as phony as the day is long. Can you really depend on that person to cover your ass when the heat is on?

They place restrictions on others, yet do whatever they want to do, all in the name of being a good Christian, protecting the "sanctity" of marriage, and protecting family values. What bullshit.

I dunno, but give me a gay guy or gal that I can count on backing me up rather than some phony baloney arsehole Republican hypocrit!