WASHINGTON –The House Armed Services Committee has marked up the National Defense Authorization Act with three anti-gay amendments. The three amendments would require the four service branch chiefs to sign off on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal, prohibit weddings for same-sex couples on military facilities by chaplains and affirm that the Defense of Marriage Act applies to Defense Department policies.
Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, who earlier this year introduced similar legislation, said the added sign-off requirement for the service chiefs was necessary because those currently responsible for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal certification – President Barack Obama, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates – have never served in combat.
“I and others in this room have more combat experience than those who are going to sign off on this,” Hunter said. The amendment passed 33-27.
In response to the amendments, Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, issued the following statement: “Make no mistake, these amendments are meant to slow down open service and perpetuate scare tactics about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Republicans should stop playing politics by standing in the way of all Americans being able to serve their country equally.
“As the process moves forward, we call on all lawmakers to stop these side shows and get back to the real work on which Americans so desperately want them to focus.”
Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, doubted that any of the amendments offered would ultimately pass in the Senate, or be signed into law by President Obama.
“The offering of this amendment was a shameful and embarrassing waste of time,” Nicholson said of the Hunter amendment. “The service chiefs have unequivocally said that they do not want this extra burden forced upon them, so if Congress really values their advice on this issue they should take it and forget this unnecessary and unwanted amendment.”
