photo courtesy of Organizing for America
President Barack Obama
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On May 27, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Michigan Democrat Carl Levin, passed, by a vote of 16 to 12, an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would remove "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"(DADT)-the heinous 17-year-old policy whereby open gay and lesbians are discharged from military service-from federal statute and set in motion the process of its repeal.

Shortly after, the full House of Representatives passed the repeal amendment to the defense budget bill, by a vote of 234 to 194. A pledge to end DADT was included in President Barack Obama's first State of the Union Address, given on January 27, when he said, "This year, I will work with Congress and our military to repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are."

Before it can become law, the bill must next proceed to the Senate floor for debate, but Republican Senators, including erstwhile Presidential candidate John McCain of Arizona, who said, "I'll do everything in my power" to prevent a vote, and Mississippi's Roger Wicker, who described the projected repeal as "a major mistake," announced their party's intention to filibuster in order to block passage of the entire defense budget bill.

"All gay and lesbian active-duty service members-including those in the Reserves and the National Guard-can still be fired under DADT until the law goes away," said Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis, who continued, "As long as DADT is the law, our gay and lesbian service members will not be safe and will continue to be forced to serve in silence. That's why Congress and the Pentagon must remain committed to finalizing the implementation of full repeal by no later than the first quarter of 2011."

Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign, based in California, said, "According to the New York Times, McCain ... solicited letters from the Joint Chiefs of Staff-the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines-that object to the repeal amendment supported by President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen."

"McCain's shocking obstructionism," Jacobs went on, "is being amplified by the right-wing Family Research Council, which released a video on [May 26] attempting to drive a wedge between the Joint Chiefs and the President, claiming that Obama is trying to 'force open homosexuality on the military.'"

"This is absolutely outrageous," said Jacobs, concluding, "John McCain and the notorious Family Research Council are declaring war on us."

Mitch Stewart, Director of the Democratic National Committee's Organizing for America project, declared, "Any policy that punishes brave men and women, who step forward to serve their country, simply for being who they are, isn't just misguided-it's discrimination ... [A]s the Republicans prepare to block a vote on this historic legislation, we must do all we can to help deliver on the President's promise.