Don’t Let Them Derail Repeal!
As we witnessed during hearings this month in the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), some members are intent on ignoring the full Congress and the American people, who spoke loudly and clearly last year about their support for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. These opponents of repeal will stop at nothing to turn back the clock -- to slow down repeal or even try to keep DADT on the books.
Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness, a vocal opponent of repeal, told her membership last week that "the 112th Congress may have arrived just in time" to derail repeal, and has called for even more hearings to slow down repeal. In fact, some members of Congress are already on board. Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, has expressed his support for Rep. Duncan Hunter's (R-CA) harmful amendment that would expand the certification process and ultimately slow down repeal.
Such mischief, or worse, could make its way into the National Defense Authorization Act mark-up, which will begin in subcommittee just one week from today on Tuesday, May 3rd. We could also face a harmful amendment in full committee on May 11th or on the House floor.
While members are still in their home districts during this Congressional recess, it's time to make our voices heard. The members below represent some of the newest additions to the HASC, most of whom were not in Congress to take the vote on repeal last year. They need to hear from constituents -- they need to hear from YOU.
Call the representatives below and tell them not to stand in the way of DADT repeal.
Click here for suggested talking points, and to report your calls.
Rep. Chris Gibson (NY-20): (518) 306-5450
Rep. Joe Heck (NV-3): (703) 387-4941
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2): (609) 625-5008
Rep. Todd Platts (PA-19): (717) 600-1919
Rep. Jon Runyan (NJ-3): (856) 780-6436
Rep. Bobby Schilling (IL-17): (309) 757-7630
We can't afford to stand down when repeal may be threatened. Call these representatives today. Thank you for standing strong with us in this fight. Together, let's see this all the way through.
04-26-11 By Aubrey Sarvis, Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director |
1 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Bill on April 26, 2011 at 07.32 pm
I’m glad SLDN is taking growing risks to the end of DADT very seriously. LGBT rights and privileges are center target for a minority of republicans who have no limits to the venom they spew at the community. They know full well that ending DADT would be a body blow to their bigotry. As clearly demonstrated in recent House military committee meetings, some Republicans wallow in a mix of ignorance, bigotry and hypocrisy. Most frightening, however, is the growing complacency of the LGBT community, too many of whom think DADT already dead. Wrong. The last battle is underway now, and loss of the last battle is loss of the war.