Ike Puzon posted on April 01, 2011 14:20
Washington, D.C.—Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, released the following opening statement for today’s hearing on the Department of Defense’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy:
“Today the Subcommittee has an opportunity to influence the future course of the implementation of a change in the law regarding the service of openly gay and lesbian service members.
“I was troubled by the process employed to repeal the law known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this past Fall. I feel the repeal was rushed through the Congress without adequate review and consideration of the full extent of the implications of repeal. I believe the lame duck session was undemocratic in that dozens of defeated Congressmembers adopted a law with significant consequence but it failed to even pass a budget. It was an insult to the principles of representative democracy. Elected officials should be reflective of the views of their constituents; the Congressmembers voting had been rejected for not reflecting views of constituents.
“I believe the comprehensive review chartered by Secretary of Defense Gates was flawed in that it never asked military members and families whether the law should be repealed and it took great liberties during the assessment process to count survey responses that directly express concern about the wisdom of repeal as being supportive of repeal.
“It is now essential that the Congress ask some of the questions that were glossed over during the comprehensive review. We must get the process for considering the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell back on track and ensure that our military is truly prepared to allow the open service of gays and lesbians.
“We must ensure that we do not make a mistake by allowing the repeal to move ahead when there is any possibility that it will put the combat readiness of our force at risk at a time our nation is in three wars with worldwide instability.”
Contact:
Josh Holly
Communications Director
U.S. House Armed Services Committee (Link)
Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.), Chairman
direct: 202.226.3988 l work cell: 202.316.8581 l personal cell: 202.236.7909
email:
josh.holly@mail.house.gov
twitter:
http://twitter.com/JoshHolly