Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) is urging the Senate to vote, as soon as possible, to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.  Today, the Pentagon released a nine-month study about the effects of repealing this policy. The study concluded the impact of repeal would mainly be positive with serving members of the Armed Forces.  Members believe they have served with homosexuals, and they had no negative effect. 

Rep. Engel, a longtime supporter of repealing this law, said, “The study clearly stated exactly what I have been saying for many years; there is no good reason to keep this policy.  The vast majority of current service men and women believe the impact of repeal would either be positive, mixed or no effect at all.  It said that almost 70 percent of service members believe they have already served with a gay man or woman, and 92 percent of them felt the unit did not have any negative effects.  The time has come to end this discriminatory policy.”

In May, Rep. Engel voted for legislation to repeal the policy. He was one of 75 House members in June 2009 who asked President Obama to direct the Department of Defense to immediately suspend DADT, and work for its repeal.

“Gay Americans must not be denied the right to serve the country they love,’ he said. “They should have the same rights as others because of who they are – Americans.  Bravery and dedication are not solely possessed by heterosexuals.  Federal and state governments should not be denying rights to law-abiding citizens for no good reason.

“The Pentagon Chief of Staff and Commander of the U.S. Army in Europe released the study today.  Key current and former high ranking military officials, including Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Generals Colin Powell and John Shalikashvili, both former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. A federal court in California recently ruled the policy unconstitutional.  Support for repeal seems overwhelming to me, and I am puzzled as to what more opponents need before they are convinced.

“I am hopeful this is the beginning of the end for this policy.  This discriminatory policy has not only hurt the lives of patriotic LGBT service personnel, but it has harmed our military, wasted needed resources, and violates the Constitution.  It is disgraceful that in the modern era, citizens are unable to be open about who they are while serving their country.  Gay and lesbian service members should enjoy the same respect as other Americans in uniform.”

The financial cost of administering “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” from 1994-2008 was $555.2 million, according to a study by the Williams Institute.   There are 25 other countries who allow openly gay service members in their armed forces, including Australia, Israel, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.  In a study by the Palm Center, those 25 countries said there was no overall decline in the effectiveness of the military due to the lifting of the ban on gay service members.

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