| One of the progressive issues that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has taken up is the fight to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT).
In a diary on Daily Kos, Sen. Gillibrand stood firmly against DADT and said that she would actively work to repeal the policy that discharges (or fires, which is more appropriate) members of the military who are openly gay.
Recently, Gillibrand announced that she was circulating an amendment that would be attached to the defense spending bill which would institute a moratorium on firing members of the military who are openly gay.
Unfortunately, as of today, such an effort is on hold.
Gillibrand has decided to pull the amendment because support was lacking for a moratorium and she did not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
Gillibrand, the freshman senator appointed by Governor David Paterson after President Obama tapped Hillary Clinton to head the State Department, signaled last week she would introduce the reform as an amendment to a Defense Department reauthorization bill.
The amendment would place an 18-month moratorium on the military gay ban, also known as "don't ask, don't tell," the law that prescribes discharge for gay and lesbian service members who do not remain celibate or closeted.
While the measure was supported by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, Gillibrand said the bill became a non-starter after her office shopped it around.
"She's not going to pursue the moratorium amendment at this time," Matt Canter, a Gillibrand spokesman, told the paper. "She was working for about a week to assess support among her colleagues for the measure. It does not appear that we're going to have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster."
...
A bill that would repeal the military gay ban is sponsored by Pennsylvania Representative Patrick Murphy, an Iraq veteran, in the House. Senator Kennedy is expected to sponsor the Senate version.
President Obama says he supports repeal of the law even as the administration has fired 313 gay service members, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a group that lobbies for repeal.
I have no criticisms for Gillibrand here. She did everything she could do in trying to find support for the amendment. Unfortunately, it appears that fellow members of the Senate (including members of our 60-seat, alleged "filibuster-proof" majority) don't see it the same way Gillibrand does. Gillibrand sees DADT as discrimination and believes it is wrong. Apparently we have senators who think otherwise, even on our side.
It is time for DADT to come to an end. It has done far too much damage to good people like Dan Choi. It's good to see Gillibrand at the forefront, but we need more support. |
