Pentagon Balks at Gay Partner Travel
Thanks to SLDN board member Mike Magee’s quick eyes, I can share with you an interesting story about the hoops and hurdles Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) recently had to go through ensuring that her wife, Lauren Azar, could join her on a congressional fact-finding trip to Europe.
According to Politico reporters Patrick O’Connor and David Rogers, “The Pentagon appears to be self-conscious about transporting gay domestic partners at a time when it continues to enforce a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in its own ranks.”
Baldwin, the only open lesbian elected to Congress, exchanged wedding vows with Azar in 1998 in her home state of Wisconsin. However, Wisconsin law does not officially recognize same-sex marriages, and military officials refused to consider Azar a “spouse” under the existing House rules.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened with Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ensure Azar was provided a space on the flight along with other congressional spouses. In requesting Azar be allowed to fly, the Speaker cited a precedent established by former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Pelosi reportedly told Gates that Hastert allowed Azar to fly with Baldwin on a previous trip abroad.
According to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law, “marriage or attempted marriage” between two people of the same-sex is reason for discharge from the military. And as this incident underscores, with more and more gay Americans taking advantage of state laws recognizing their relationships, the disconnect between the Department of Defense, Congress, and the American people goes on and on.
Labels: Congress
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