Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, cheered the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the U.S. Armed Forces.  Nadler opposed that failed policy from its beginnings and worked for years toward its repeal.  He issued the following statement:

“Today marks a historic occasion in the U.S. Armed Forces, as gay and lesbian servicemembers are, at long last, able to serve their country proudly, openly, and without fear of wanton discrimination.  I congratulate President Obama, the U.S. military, and the thousands of gay and lesbian soldiers for a hard-fought and long-awaited victory.

“As we argued for 18 years, it is fundamentally unfair and un-American to discharge soldiers based on their sexual orientation.  Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is also counterproductive to maintaining a strong and effective military, with trained professionals and high troop morale.  During its 17 years on the books, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell led to the dismissal of more than 14,000 qualified servicemembers, not counting the many others who left voluntarily or chose not to serve because of the policy.  Among the thousands dismissed were nearly 800 specialists, whose skills have been particularly important during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and in our efforts to fight terrorism.

“I am very proud that we have finally changed course and enacted a policy of fostering a strong, unified, and effective military that is open to all Americans who bravely choose to serve.  We are now joining the ranks of the 35 nations that have welcomed gays and lesbians into their militaries.”

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