Official Bill Info

• Latest Action: Mar 31, 2009 Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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• Committee Assignment: House Armed Services

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  This bill has been assigned to the House Armed Services committee.
• Committee Assignment: House Armed Services - Military Personnel

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  This bill has been assigned to the House Armed Services - Military Personnel committee.

Bill Statistics on OpenCongress

Contribution Data

OpenCongress Bill Summary

• This bill seeks to establish a policy of nondiscrimination regarding sexual orientation (for which it provides a definition) in the Armed Forces, by repealing a 16 year policy held in the Department of Defense known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The bill would also authorize the reappointment of otherwise qualified individuals previously discharged on the basis of their sexual orientation.

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  Here's a summary from OpenCongress.org: This bill seeks to establish a policy of nondiscrimination regarding sexual orientation (for which it provides a definition) in the Armed Forces, by repealing a 16 year policy held in the Department of Defense known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The bill would also authorize the reappointment of otherwise qualified individuals previously discharged on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Supporting Organizations

• service members legal defense network

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• service members united

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• Alexander Hamilton Post 448

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• blue alliance

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• knights out

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• new england gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender inc.

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• palm center

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• Human Rights Campaign

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• American Veterans for Equal Rights

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• Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

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• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

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• Lambda Legal

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• Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

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Opposing Organizations

• American Christian Lobbyists Association

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• christian coalition of south florida

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• flag and general officers for the military

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• right side news

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• Culture Campaign

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• Traditional Values Coalition

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• Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

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• Americans for Truth About Homosexuality

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Most-commented sections of the bill text

• The purpose of this Act is to institute in the Armed Forces a policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation. (5 comments, Link )

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  specifically, this section of the legislation: "The purpose of this Act is to institute in the Armed Forces a policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation.",

Highest Rated User Comments

• On June 18, 2009, by Gene9223 - The policy should never have been put in place to begin with.

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  As noted by Gene9223, a user on OpenCongress.org, on June 18, 2009, "The policy should never have been put in place to begin with. "
• On July 16, 2009, by clejeune - I served in Iraq from 2003-2004. As an attachment to other units we often found ourselves working with British and Australian military forces. Both countries allow gays to serve openly, as do 18 other countries. Our deployed soldiers serve with gays all the time, just not from our own country. The policy of not allowing gays to serve openly in the military has been detrimental to our readiness. We have lost much needed Arabic linguists over this issue. Heterosexual soldiers are allowed to have their loved ones present for award ceremonies. They are allowed to visit their wounded soldiers in the hospital. They have their loved ones there when they are on the parade field to take over a new command. The same rights should also be extended to gay soldiers as well. Twenty-eight retired Generals and Admirals have written to express the same.

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  As noted by clejeune, a user on OpenCongress.org, on July 16, 2009, "I served in Iraq from 2003-2004. As an attachment to other units we often found ourselves working with British and Australian military forces. Both countries allow gays to serve openly, as do 18 other countries. Our deployed soldiers serve with gays all the time, just not from our own country. The policy of not allowing gays to serve openly in the military has been detrimental to our readiness. We have lost much needed Arabic linguists over this issue. Heterosexual soldiers are allowed to have their loved ones present for award ceremonies. They are allowed to visit their wounded soldiers in the hospital. They have their loved ones there when they are on the parade field to take over a new command. The same rights should also be extended to gay soldiers as well. Twenty-eight retired Generals and Admirals have written to express the same. "
• On July 30, 2009, by lxtkn1989 - So, if having gay men serving in the armed forces risks having PDA getting in the way of military life, couldn't the same be said of allowing heterosexual men and women serve. Though I'm sure the men and women of the armed forces never mingle, ever. There are husbands and wives who met in the armed forces. Should they divorce because their relationships "get in the way" of military life? Or, as I've noticed, most of the partners of the soon to be discharged homosexuals in the military are civilians, with no ties to the military. Should all heterosexual members of the armed forces be barred from having romantic relationships in that case? I say either repeal don't ask don't tell, or remove all persons who have relationships, which as you say "get in the way of the military life". One standard across all sexual orientations. Discharge the person who is openly straight if the person who is openly gay faces the same punishment.

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  As noted by lxtkn1989, a user on OpenCongress.org, on July 30, 2009, "So, if having gay men serving in the armed forces risks having PDA getting in the way of military life, couldn't the same be said of allowing heterosexual men and women serve. Though I'm sure the men and women of the armed forces never mingle, ever. There are husbands and wives who met in the armed forces. Should they divorce because their relationships "get in the way" of military life? Or, as I've noticed, most of the partners of the soon to be discharged homosexuals in the military are civilians, with no ties to the military. Should all heterosexual members of the armed forces be barred from having romantic relationships in that case? I say either repeal don't ask don't tell, or remove all persons who have relationships, which as you say "get in the way of the military life". One standard across all sexual orientations. Discharge the person who is openly straight if the person who is openly gay faces the same punishment."

Highly Rated Blog Articles

• House Passes Landmark Arthritis Legislation - January 02, 2011 by Arthritis Shoulder Pain Help - Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 13, 2008 — The Arthritis Foundation applauds the US House of Representatives for passing the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (HR 1283), the first… Newspad.com search: arthritis.

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  As noted by Arthritis Shoulder Pain Help on January 02, 2011, "Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 13, 2008 — The Arthritis Foundation applauds the US House of Representatives for passing the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (HR 1283), the first… Newspad.com search: arthritis." (http://arthritisshoulderpainhelp.com/10916/house-passes-landmark-arthritis-legislation-3/)
• House Passes Landmark Arthritis Legislation - December 31, 2010 by Political News & Commentary - Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 13, 2008 The Arthritis Foundation applauds the US House of Representatives for passing the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (HR 1283), the first comprehensive, bipartisan arthritis legislation in ...

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  As noted by Political News & Commentary on December 31, 2010, "Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 13, 2008 The Arthritis Foundation applauds the US House of Representatives for passing the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (HR 1283), the first comprehensive, bipartisan arthritis legislation in ..." (http://www.wonkish.org/2011/01/01/house-passes-landmark-arthritis-legislation/)
• What Congress passed in 1993 was not "Don't Ask Don't Tell," but a ... - December 19, 2010 by View from the Right - P.S. The charts come from January 2010 when Patrick Murphy (D-PA) was trying to repeal the misnamed "DADT" and replace it with an LGBT law via HR 1283. I don't know if the recent December repeal allowed any LGBT law to take its place, ...

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  As noted by View from the Right on December 19, 2010, "P.S. The charts come from January 2010 when Patrick Murphy (D-PA) was trying to repeal the misnamed "DADT" and replace it with an LGBT law via HR 1283. I don't know if the recent December repeal allowed any LGBT law to take its place, ..." (http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/018203.html)

Highly Rated News Articles

• SLDN on where we are/need to be/could be/should be/ why the hell can't we get there?!? - April 30, 2010 by Good As You - ...OF CONGRESSIONAL SPONSORS SUPPORTING REPEAL GROWS: --The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R.1283), the repeal bill in the U.S. House, has 192 cosponsors. --U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, chief sponsor “has indicated repeatedly that he has the votes to

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  As noted by Good As You on April 30, 2010, "...OF CONGRESSIONAL SPONSORS SUPPORTING REPEAL GROWS: --The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R.1283), the repeal bill in the U.S. House, has 192 cosponsors. --U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, chief sponsor “has indicated repeatedly that he has the votes to" (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GoodAsYou/~3/AO_GUhdMbac/sldn-on-where-we-areneed-to-becould-beshould-be-why-the-hell-cant-we-get-there.html)
• Youth Radio -- Youth Media International: Don't Ask, Don't Tell: When Silence Leads to Abuse (VIDEO) - August 12, 2009 by Huffington Post - ...and abuse against our Country's finest. It's a policy that made it easier for my abusers to torment me. I support house bill H.R.1283 which would replace DADT with a non-discrimination policy, and when it comes to a vote, our President and legislators i

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  As noted by Huffington Post on August 12, 2009, "...and abuse against our Country's finest. It's a policy that made it easier for my abusers to torment me. I support house bill H.R.1283 which would replace DADT with a non-discrimination policy, and when it comes to a vote, our President and legislators i" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/youth-radio-youth-media-international/dont-ask-dont-tell-when-s_b_258121.html)
• Slogging Towards Repeal - August 05, 2009 by Tips-Q GLBT News - The bill, HR 1283, now has 168 co-sponsors, a new high since repeal was first introduced five years ago. We can thank Congressman Murphy for that monthly ...

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  As noted by Tips-Q GLBT News on August 05, 2009, "The bill, HR 1283, now has 168 co-sponsors, a new high since repeal was first introduced five years ago. We can thank Congressman Murphy for that monthly ..." (http://www.tips-q.com/news/msm/1220098-slogging-towards-repeal)