Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and for his longstanding commitment to fighting for those who have served all of us. So today does mark the 10th anniversary of the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It was a deeply flawed, deeply prejudiced policy of our government that prohibited LGBTQ individuals from serving openly in the Armed Forces. {time} 2030 The policy told LGBTQ individuals that they were not welcome to serve their country, that their government viewed them as second-class citizens. It also forced many who swore an oath to give everything for their country, up to and including their lives, to hide who they were and to live in secret or to face the loss of a job, a life's calling, financial security, health, and happiness. Americans who were ready, willing, and eager to serve their country were forced to leave the armed services for good, many receiving less- than-honorable discharges. It is estimated that over 13,000 servicemembers were discharged in the 17 years that Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enforced. A decade after its repeal, Don't Ask, Don't Tell still casts a long, dark, and disgraceful shadow and haunts those who were targeted. We have much more work to do to correct this tremendous injustice endured by those who served and were discharged during Don't Ask, Don't Tell.…”