Letter also signed by Florida Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Robert Wexler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kathy Castor and Alan Grayson.
Rep Alcee l. Hastings Dadt Letter 6.22.09
From U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings’ website:
(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) and 76 Members of Congress sent the following letter to President Barack Obama urging him to suspend the investigation and discharge of service members in the Armed Forces because of their sexual orientation. Under the discriminatory law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," openly gay and lesbian service members and those suspected of "homosexual conduct" may not serve in the military.
By taking leadership of the important issue of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, President Obama would allow openly gay and lesbian service members to continue serving their country and send a clear signal to Congress to initiate the legislative repeal process. A bilateral approach would demonstrate the United States' lasting commitment to justice and equality for all. This letter comes at a time when a majority of Americans favor allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly.
"Approximately two service members are lost to this misguided, unjust, and flat-out discriminatory policy every day. At a time when we are engaged in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender service members offer mission-critical skills that enhance our military's competence and readiness and ensure our national security. It is my sincere hope that President Obama, together with Congress, will take swift and meaningful action on the dishonorable and debilitating law that is Don't Ask, Don't Tell," said Hastings.
The letter was authored by Hastings and signed by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), José Serrano (D-NY), James Moran (D-VA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), James Clyburn (D-SC), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Donna M. Christensen (D-VI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rush Holt (D-NJ), John Larson (D-CT), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), David Wu (D-OR), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Mike Honda (D-CA), James Langevin (D-RI), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Diane Watson (D-CA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D-FL), André Carson (D-IN), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Phil Hare (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Gregorio Sablan (D-MP).
This is in keeping with other calls for executive action as advocated by the Human Rights Campaign, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Knights Out, the Washington Post OP-ED by retired General John M. Shalikashvili, and documents put out by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
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