Senate to hold hearings on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
July 27, 2009
At the urging of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold hearings on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – the first hearings to be held on gays in the military since 1993.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., decided his Senate Armed Services Committee or one of its subcommittees would hold the hearing after requests from Gillibrand, the Democrat from New York who has been pushing for the policy’s repeal.
Gillibrand said the “important hearing” would demonstrate that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell “is an unfair, outdated measure that violates the civil rights of some of our bravest, most heroic men and women.”
Gillibrand previously had been considering offering an amendment to a defense spending bill that would have blocked the discharge of gay service members under the policy for 18 months. Gillibrand dropped that push when it appeared she would not be able to get the 60 votes the proposal would have needed for adoption and after securing the commitment from Levin.
Gay-rights leaders expressed high hopes that Senate hearings could bring reluctant legislators around. According to a recent Gallup poll, 69 percent Americans think gays should be allowed to serve.
No matter the outcome of Gillibrand’s hearings, the chances of DADT’s repeal look stronger in the House, where Iraq war veteran Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is taking the lead on a repeal bill called the Military Readiness Enhancement Act. Gay-rights lobbyists say he’s getting close to the 218 votes needed to pass the bill.
Both President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders have publicly expressed their desire to undo the law, but progress on the issue has been slow so far this year.
Several gay rights groups have publicly complained about the White House dragging out the process, and Iraq war vet Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., said last month he’ll push ahead on overturning it with or without the president’s help.
