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Tell Congress: Pass the Military Readiness Enhancement Act

I urge you to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the federal law which bans open military service based on sexual orientation.

On March 3, 2010, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (S. 3065) in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Lieberman is joined by 32 cosponsors -- including the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Carl Levin (D-MI). In the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is quarterbacking parallel legislation, alson known as the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283). Rep. Murphy is joined by 191 bipartisan cosponsors and counting. I urge you to support these measures by becoming a cosponsor now. 

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is the only federal law that mandates firing a person because of their sexual orientation. The ban denies patriotic Americans with the critical skills we need the freedom to serve during a critical time of war. No one willing to defend our country should have to hide who they are as a condition of their military service. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a discriminatory law that weakens our military. The time for repeal is now.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" applies to all Americans serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, including active duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel. More than 2,000,000 Americans serving in uniform today are bound by this law; among them, an estimated 65,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans in uniform live with the constant threat of a career-ending discharge.

More than 13,500 Americans have been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the last 17 years. Our government has wasted at least $363 million in taxpayer dollars firing desperately needed military linguists, pilots, doctors, intelligence analysts, nurses, and others with critical skills we need in this time of conflict. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is wasteful, discriminatory, and harms our military.

I urge you to support the Military Readiness Enhancement Act by becoming a cosponsor.

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