"Don't Ask" Fight Hits Senate

[babylonsister]

"Don't Ask" Fight Hits Senate

by Jason Bellini

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand could force the Senate to take up the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy this week, The Daily Beast has learned. Jason Bellini on the plot to halt the ban on gays in the military.


New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is considering bringing the battle over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to the Senate this week, by introducing an amendment that would put an 18-month moratorium on the discharge of gays serving in the military, The Daily Beast has learned.

It would be the first time since the implementation of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in 1993 that Senators are forced to declare their position on the gay ban. A Senate staffer familiar with the matter says Gillibrand may introduce her amendment on Tuesday to the defense reauthorization bill. If the amendment were to pass, gay rights leaders expect it would stand a strong chance of being approved by the House and could be signed into law by President Obama, who has expressed his desire for the ban to be lifted. Rep. Patrick Murphy is trying to build support for a bill that has already been introduced in the House that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

But Gillibrand's move would circumvent a long legislative process at a time when an average of two gay soldiers per day are being discharged.

A press representative from Gillibrand's office said the decision to introduce the amendment is not final.

"Senator Gillibrand is working with Senator Kennedy's office to garner support for a repeal of ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell,’ and this is part of an ongoing effort to repeal this policy," said Bethany Lesser, a spokeswoman for the senator.


more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-11/dont-ask-fight-hits-senate/full/

[Kdillard]

1. Go Kirsten she is doing a good job in the Senate ;)

[vaberella]

2. I was seriously worried about her. However she's putting my fears to rest.

She's definitely making her mark in the Senate and getting things done. I'm truly impressed. I've been communicating with her office a lot and I'm glad she's responsive to the calls of the people. Good job on this. I'll give her office a call on Monday about this. Thanks.

[Cha]

13. She seems to have the fire in her belly and

representing what her constituents want..not the corps like Schumer seems to favor.

And Scott Murphy won her seat!:bounce:

[Hippo_Tron]

22. I knew she'd swing to the left when she started representing the entire state

Unfortunately part of being in Congress means you have to represent the views and ideology of your constituents and Gillibrand used to represent a right leaning district.

[Orsino]

3. If only courage were more contagious.

When we stop jumping at shadows like "gays in the military," we could begin facing actual problems.

[Jennicut]

4. Wow, if she does this I will be very impressed with her, considering I did not like her at first.

[alsame]

5. Kick for my Senator. I too was very skeptical about her at first, but

she has been impressive so far.

[alcibiades_mystery]

6. Congress has apparently been pressured to do their goddamn job

That's a good thing, I think we can all agree.

[noamnety]

7. K&R

Good. I'm tired of hearing "we can't eliminate this until we've studied it more."

I prefer the notion of "not taking action to discharge people until we've studied it more." I would like to see a moratorium, with a provision for pure cautiousness that a person can opt to be discharged at their OWN discretion, if they are gay - just like women have the option to take a discharge if they get pregnant. That would exist as a safety valve in case someone is outed and becomes the target of harassment. (I'm generally in favor of giving people discretion to request discharges, admittedly.)

[snake in the grass]

8. She also co-sponsored the Hatch Amendment...

...which will end the Widow Penalty and allow foreign national spouses of deceased U.S. citizens to remain in the U.S.

Surviving Spouses Against Deportation

Yes, I know. It's bizarre that Hatch actually initiated this, but I don't care. It was a good thing.

[hulklogan]

9. Sadly, I'm ready to be disappointed so I won't get excited until the amendment is proposed.

I do applaud Senator Gillibrand for being so outspoken against DADT. It reflects poorly on many of the other Democratic Senators that a freshman appointee is more willing to do the right thing than they are.

[CTyankee]

15. Well, we have to start somewhere. Not trying is not an option, IMO.

This is way past due (DADT never should have been enacted in the first place, but that's another thread...). Overall our Senate is horribly regressive. It makes me wonder if we just shouldn't get all fresh candidates, starting with 2010...

[hulklogan]

18. She hasn't even tried anything at this point! Nothing to get excited about.

The whole premise of the article is an unnamed, uncited source that says something might happen.

I'll be celebrating along with everyone else if Senator Gillibrand actually introduces this amendment and it is voted on (even if it fails) but to get excited over this is a waste of energy.

[CTyankee]

20. I know. I'll just be disappointed in the end.

I truly cannot understand homophobes...

[JohnnyLib2]

10. Gutsy.

Rec.

[TheWraith]

11. That's my Senator. I've met her, actually.

She's really good. I'm even more pleased than I thought I'd be at first.

[ShadowLiberal]

12. Great news, I'm loving senator GIllbrand more and more each day

[SpartanDem]

14. Very good news

[ProSense]

16. This is good. She's helping to build support for a bill Kennedy

has been working on since March (actually, last year), and she will be among the original co-sponsors. So there are more Senators signed on already. Good news.

[dsc]

17. I was seriously suspicious of her well timed change of heart on some issues

but I will admit she has gone much further than I would have guessed she would. It is amazing what a primary can do to sharpen the mind.

[bigwillq]

19. Good for Sen. Gillibrand.

:thumbsup:

[ruggerson]

21. She deserves our support in this - [phone]

call her office tomorrow and let her know.