SERVICE MEMBERS TO ANNOUNCE DEC. 17 THEY WILL SIT IN SENATE GALLERY UNTIL "DON'T ASK" REPEAL VOTE IS TAKEN, U.S. SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN WILL JOIN SERVICE MEMBERS AT ANNOUNCEMENT
A group of service members impacted and discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell will announce on Friday that they will sit in the Senate gallery until "Don't Ask" repeal is passed.
Also please see news update Dec. 18, 2010: Senate votes to move forward on DADT, www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=29846
"Service members are making it absolutely clear that Senators need to stay in town until repeal is passed. We simply cannot let the clock run out and lose this historic opportunity. We need 60 votes to complete the bill and send it directly to the President's desk. We need to fight back on any amendments as a change to the language will cause further delay," said Aubrey Sarvis, Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
ABOUT SLDN: SLDN was established in 1993 when "Don't Ask" originally passed. In addition to working on repeal, SLDN offers free, confidential legal services to those impacted by DADT. This year the organization received its 10,000th call for assistance to its legal hotline.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 16, 2010
Trevor Thomas: ( 616 ) 430-2030 or trevor@sldn.org
Paul DeMiglio: ( 202 ) 621-5408 or paul@sldn.org
KEY SENATORS ADVOCATES ARE CALLING ON TO SUPPORT REPEAL:
--John Ensign ( R-NV ) ;
--George LeMieux ( R-FL ) ;
--Richard Lugar ( R-IN ) ;
--Judd Gregg ( R-NH ) ;
--George Voinovich ( R-OH ) ;
--Kit Bond ( R-MO ) ;
--Mark Kirk ( R-IL ) ;
--Kent Conrad ( D-ND ) ;
--Joe Manchin ( D-WV )
STILL AT RISK: "As the U.S. Senate votes on repeal legislation, service members still cannot come out. A general recently approved the separation of an SLDN client serving overseas in the U.S. Air Force. This service member now faces an administrative separation board. If the discharge moves forward, the fate of the service member's career will ultimately fall to Secretary Michael B. Donley, Dept. of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson, and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel Dr. Clifford L. Stanley." Warning to service members: www.SLDN.org/StillAtRisk
SLDN FREE HOTLINE: Gay and lesbian service members with questions on repeal are urged to contact the SLDN hotline to speak with a staff attorney: 202-328-3244 x100.