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BREAKING: SLDN Issues National Action Alert Urging Repeal Supporters to Contact Senate Leadership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2010
Trevor Thomas: (616) 430-2030 or trevor@sldn.org
Paul DeMiglio: (202) 621-5408 or pdemiglio@sldn.org

SLDN Issues National Action Alert Urging Repeal Supporters to Contact Senate Leadership
Supporters urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to schedule floor vote on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), issued a national action alert today urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to schedule a floor vote on repeal the week of September 20. The alert also targets Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who has been a vocal opponent of repeal. TWEET this action alert now: http://bit.ly/cJqRT2

“We cannot let the defense budget bill slide any longer. Repeal supporters need to call Senate leadership today and ask they move the defense bill to the Senate floor the week of September 20th,” said Aubrey Sarvis, Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. “Sen. John McCain has been a strong and vocal opponent from the start and it is critical that we beat back any filibuster threat, defeat attempts to strike repeal, and defeat any crippling amendments. The focus will also continue on Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell; we need this bill up on the Senate floor the week of September 20th.”

WHY WE NEED TO PASS DADT REPEAL IN SEPTEMBER:

If the defense budget bill doesn’t move in September and slides into the lame duck session, many Republicans have made it clear they will only agree to a Continuing Resolution to keep funding the Defense Dept.

If a Continuing Resolution is passed, the hard earned House passage of repeal dies. Recall, repeal advocates made it to the House floor vote bypassing the House Armed Services Committee as we didn’t have the support of the Democratic Chairman, Ike Skelton.

If the defense budget bill doesn't move to the Senate floor by the end of September, DADT repeal may not happen for SEVERAL MORE YEARS.

How will repeal die if there is no vote in September? If Republicans take back the House in November, as many are beginning to predict, SLDN doesn’t see Speaker Boehner pushing a vote on DADT next year.

SLDN voiced concerns earlier this week that were reported in Politico and The Advocate: http://bit.ly/aKLU5l

FULL TEXT OF TODAY’S ALERT: Alert available online: http://bit.ly/cJxRG2

Friend,

Time is running out to tell your senators to vote for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

When Congress returns to Washington, D.C., next week, the full Senate will have its first opportunity in 17 years to do away with DADT when it votes on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains provisions that would allow for repeal of this law.

Their legislative calendar looks crowded, and the window of opportunity to pass repeal will be narrow. That's why you must keep up the pressure on both your senators until the Senate votes to end DADT.

Call and urge your senators to make passage of repeal legislation a top priority the week of September 20th. And ask them to urge their Joint Leadership (Senators Reid and McConnell) to schedule this vote.

(202) 224-3121

A full Senate floor vote is one of the last major legislative hurdles that stands in the way of repeal. Unfortunately, Senator John McCain has been a vocal opponent of repeal from the start. He has indicated that he, along with other repeal foes, will pull out all the stops in coming weeks - from attempting to strike repeal language from the NDAA to offering weakening amendments or threatening to filibuster the entire defense budget.

We cannot let that happen.

If the defense budget bill doesn't move to the Senate floor by the end of this month, DADT repeal may not happen for several more years.

Call these key senators now. We need a repeal vote the week of September 20th.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)
(202) 224-3542

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
(202) 224-2541

Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
(202) 224-2235

This is not the time to let up in the fight to end DADT. With your continued support we will make it clear to the Senate that repealing DADT should be a top priority this month.

Thank you.

Aubrey Sarvis
SLDN Executive Director

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Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (www.sldn.org) is a national, non-profit legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A journalists’ guide is available here.

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