Bud Shuster: “I believe Congress should maintain its authority to review and debate this policy implication of repealing Don't Ask…”

“I believe Congress should maintain its authority to review and debate this policy implication of repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell before a final decision is made. We owe that to the men and women of the Armed Forces. To my colleagues, I urge them: Don't shoot before we aim. I urge a ``no'' vote on the Murphy amendment. I believe in the strongest possible terms that the Department must, prior to any legislative action, be allowed the opportunity to conduct a thorough, objective, and systematic assessment of the impact of such a policy change; develop an attentive comprehensive implementation plan, and provide the President and the Congress with the results of this effort in order to ensure that this step is taken in the most informed and effective manner. A critical element of this effort is the need to systematically engage our forces, their families, and the broader military community throughout this process.”