Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) condemned Senate Republicans for filibustering the procedural vote which would end the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  Forty-two votes were able to stifle the 57 vote majority and stand in the way of the elimination of a policy which, according the vast majority of service members, would not harm military readiness and which limits the rights of LGBT service members. 

“It feels like a broken record, Senate Republicans seem to care about only one thing – tax cuts for the wealthy.  They are for discrimination against brave LGBT service members, they are against providing health care for 9-11 heroes, they are against helping the unemployed, they are for insurance companies denying coverage for the sick, and they are on the side of BP and other petroleum conglomerates that pollute our environment.  They have abused the filibuster to the point where it is a joke – only in the Senate can 42 people out of 100 be a majority,” said Rep. Engel, a longtime supporter of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” 

“There is no good reason to keep this policy,” he added, “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.”

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