This report from the Defense Department reaches the same conclusions that a majority of men and women in uniform and a majority of Americans have reached: repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ makes for good public policy. By doing so, we will honor the values of our nation and close the door on a fundamental unfairness.

Our troops are our most valuable asset in ensuring our strong national security. And yet, under the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, more than 13,000 gays and lesbians have been discharged from the military; these include fighter pilots, infantry officers, and Arabic translators.

It is my hope that this report encourages the Senate to move forward with the Defense Authorization bill, which contains legislative language repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell;’ the House passed legislation months ago and by a significant margin. Moving forward to end the days of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will honor the service and sacrifice of all who dedicate their lives to protecting the American people.