Sen. Gillibrand Named to Armed Services Committee
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the newly re-elected junior Democrat from New York, has just been named to the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). This seating is good news for the military LGBT community. Along with SASC Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) the Senator has been a committed advocate for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) since being appointed to the Senate in 2009. SLDN has worked hard with the Senator over the past two years to find any means possible to end the discharges.
Generally, in the Senate, a Senator needs to sit on an authorizing committee to be able to have an effective hand in moving legislation. With her tenacity, Sen. Gillibrand showed her ability to transcend that tradition by working the DADT repeal. Sen. Gillibrand collaborated with Chairman Levin on lining up DADT repeal hearings and votes, even without a seat on the Armed Services Committee.
As we move into the next phase of fighting for equality for all LGBT service members and their families, the SASC is going to be key in holding the Department of Defense accountable to their promises of open service, overseeing the transition, and pushing toward full equality. Senator Gillibrand is going to be key in that fight. In addition to her durable track record on DADT repeal, she has already publicly stated that she wants to start working on the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Read more about Senator Gillibrand's appointment by clicking here.
01-27-11 By Emily Sussman, Legislative Associate and Jeremy Wilson-Simerman, Legislative Manager |
Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.