President Obama signs repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" anti-gay law
Wed. December 22, 2010 8:36 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Washington, D.C. -
President Obama signed the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" into law in front of a large, emotional crowd at the Department of the Interior on Wednesday.
"Your country needs you, your country wants you, we will be honored to welcome you into the ranks," Mr. Obama said to gay and lesbian servicemembers. "This is a moment more than two centuries in the making. Gay Americans fought just as hard, gave just as much, to protect this nation."
The historic legislation was finalized in the Senate on Saturday with a bi-partisan vote of 65-31.
Following the President's signature, the Pentagon must then come up with a plan for implementation which must then be submitted to Congress for a sixty day comment period. It is unknown at this point how long the Pentagon will take to provide the plan with estimates ranging from weeks to months.
Obama was joined by former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva and former Commander Zoe Dunning.
Alva was the first American wounded in the war in Iraq, damaging his leg so badly that it needed to be amputated. Alva was awarded a Purple Heart and received a medical discharge from the military.
Alva has been working with the Human Rights Campaign to speak out against the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from serving in the armed forces.
Dunning is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In January 1993, while a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves, Dunning publicly came out as a lesbian at a political rally outside the gates of California's Moffett Field. Dunning won her subsequent two-and-a-half year legal battle to remain in the Navy Reserves. The Navy promoted her twice and awarded her the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal since her coming out.
Dunning retired in June 2007 and holds the distinction of serving her country as an openly gay member of the U.S. military for over 13 years.
Military and political leaders in attendance included: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA).
"Your country needs you, your country wants you, we will be honored to welcome you into the ranks," Mr. Obama said to gay and lesbian servicemembers. "This is a moment more than two centuries in the making. Gay Americans fought just as hard, gave just as much, to protect this nation."
The historic legislation was finalized in the Senate on Saturday with a bi-partisan vote of 65-31.
Following the President's signature, the Pentagon must then come up with a plan for implementation which must then be submitted to Congress for a sixty day comment period. It is unknown at this point how long the Pentagon will take to provide the plan with estimates ranging from weeks to months.
Obama was joined by former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva and former Commander Zoe Dunning.
Alva was the first American wounded in the war in Iraq, damaging his leg so badly that it needed to be amputated. Alva was awarded a Purple Heart and received a medical discharge from the military.
Alva has been working with the Human Rights Campaign to speak out against the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from serving in the armed forces.
Dunning is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In January 1993, while a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves, Dunning publicly came out as a lesbian at a political rally outside the gates of California's Moffett Field. Dunning won her subsequent two-and-a-half year legal battle to remain in the Navy Reserves. The Navy promoted her twice and awarded her the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal since her coming out.
Dunning retired in June 2007 and holds the distinction of serving her country as an openly gay member of the U.S. military for over 13 years.
Military and political leaders in attendance included: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA).