Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse released the following statement today after the Senate voted to repeal the law banning gay men and women from serving openly in the military. Whitehouse cosponsored legislation to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’
“For an institution founded on integrity and accountability, requiring brave, loyal and highly trained soldiers to lie about or disguise their sexual orientation was wrong, as Admiral Mullen and Secretary Gates have eloquently explained. Repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is the right thing to do, and is consistent with our Constitution, as courts have already found. And at a time when we are engaged in two wars, repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will help our military meet its recruiting and mission requirements. I applaud my colleagues for joining me to ensure that those Americans who risk their lives for our country are treated fairly.”
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