Murphy, Baldwin Lead Senators In Calling On Defense Secretary To Update Policies & Prevent Discrimination Of Service Members Based On Sexual Orientation

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) led a bipartisan group of 23 senators in calling on U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter to update the equal opportunity policies across the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and military services to prevent discrimination, harassment, or intimidation of service members based on sexual orientation. In their letter, the senators explained that the 2011 repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy enabled service members to serve openly without the fear of being discharged, but failed to include binding protections for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members in Equal Opportunity Programs. The senators noted that under Army, Navy, and Air Force regulations, only race, color, religion, sex, and national origin are protected under equal opportunity policies, and requested that Carter amend the policies to include sexual orientation as a protected category.

"The repeal of DADT represented great progress toward eradicating a significant barrier to formal equality, but the military is not yet an equitable environment for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members. The absence of formal equal opportunity protections not only undermines foundational American principles of fairness and equality, it also presents an unneeded risk to national security by negatively impacting the morale and readiness of our all-volunteer force. Conversely, an environment in which all service members can defend their country with honor and personal integrity, and without fear of discrimination, strengthens the bonds of shared sacrifice and maintains good order and discipline," wrote the Senators.

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