Jane Harman: “As a rookie Member of Congress in 1993, I sat in the most junior chair on the Armed Services Committee, just a few feet…”

“As a rookie Member of Congress in 1993, I sat in the most junior chair on the Armed Services Committee, just a few feet from the witness table. Then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell testified in favor of the Clinton administration's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. I drew a deep breath and told the general that I thought Don't Ask, Don't Tell was unconstitutional. I opposed it then, and I oppose it now. No good has ever come of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but a lot of bad has. I applaud the personal courage of current Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, who told Congress: "It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." He's right, and I have no doubt that America's Armed Forces will successfully transition to a post-DADT world.”