Repeal The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

Floor Speech

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Mr. QUIGLEY. Thank you. I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his service as well.

Let me briefly try to put a human face on this. When you don't put a person on it, you can imagine it is hard to really understand the human cost with such a policy. I will give you two.

First of all, Lee Reinhart, 4 years after graduating from high school and after spending time at both public and private universities, Lee Reinhart decided he had simply not found his calling. So in September of 1995, Lee surprised his friends and family by joining the Navy. Lee served on board the USS Cowpens as an operations specialist working his way up to becoming a second class petty officer in the Combat Information Center, tracking both surface and air contacts.

While serving, Lee earned several medals and ribbons, including the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Lee's tour of duty in the Navy was completed in August of 1999. After time in the Reserves and the events of September 11, 2001, Lee wanted to return to active duty, this time to make it a career. This time he chose the Coast Guard. But soon after joining, Lee became a target and was being investigated. Lee was given two choices: he could admit he was gay and be allowed to leave the military peacefully, or he could stay and undergo an investigation with the same end result, discharge.

The point of this story is obvious. Lee had completed a full enlistment in one branch and earned an honorable discharge, but while serving in another branch, the uneven and inequitable implementation of Don't Ask, Don't Tell ended his career.

The implementation of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is uneven and subject to individuals such as Lee to the whims and prejudices of individuals.

Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao, like the President of the United States, our dear friend Sandy is a fellow former South Sider, this time from the Bridgeport neighborhood. Sunday, February 8, 2009, marked the 1-year service anniversary of her active duty full-time service to her country. Shortly thereafter she received an honorable discharge because of her orientation.

Ms. Tsao wrote a letter to the President of the United States. She writes: ``I am a second lieutenant currently serving in the U.S. Army. In addition to being an officer, I am a Christian, a woman and a Chinese American. I am proud of all these identities. Lastly, I am also a lesbian. On September 21, 2007, I was appointed as an Army officer. In the oath of office, I swore that I would support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. Unfortunately, I will not be able to fulfill this oath because the current policy regarding sexual orientation contradicts my values as a moral human being.

Today is the Chinese New Year. I hope it will bring good fortune to you in your newly elect office. Today is also the day I inform my chain of command of who I am. One of the seven Army values is integrity. It means choosing to do the right thing no matter what the consequences may be. As a Christian, this also means living an honest life. I cannot live up to these values unless my workplace `provides an environment free of unlawful discrimination and offensive behavior.' '' That is an excerpt from the U.S. Army's Equal Opportunity Branch.

``We have the best military in the world, and I would like to continue to be part of it. My mother can tell you it is my dream to serve our country. I have fought and overcome many barriers to arrive at the point I am today. This is the only battle I fear I may lose. Even if it is too late for me, I do hope, Mr. President, you will help us win the war against prejudice so that future generations will continue to work together and fight for our freedoms regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.''

For 24-year-old Sandy Tsao, we are too late. For the many other gay and lesbian servicemembers, our repeal may just be in time.

In my mind, having gone to Iraq, I looked at the brave men and women willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, many of them as young as my own children. And I will tell you what I didn't see. I didn't see those as black or white, men or women, straight or gay, Democrats or Republicans. I saw Americans. I saw warriors. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a policy so fundamentally hypocritical that it encourages citizens to put their lives on the line to serve a country built on freedom and democracy as long as they lie about who they are.

Lastly, I'm reminded always at times like this what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg. Now, it has been interpreted many ways, but I would like to think that the essence of what President Lincoln was getting to was, 87 years ago we created a country based on certain principles, the most important of which is that all of us are created equal.

What he was saying in Gettysburg is, Did we really mean it? Did we really mean everyone? And I ask my colleagues to think about that, especially in time of two wars, with storm clouds gathering over North Korea and Iran. Did we really mean it? Do we really mean it today, that all of us are created equal? I think we all are warriors, at least that much. Thank you.

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