OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011

Floor Speech

Date: May 27, 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense Government Budget and Spending

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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I agree with the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the time has come to repeal the current ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy, which dishonors men and women who are willing to give their lives in service to our country and also prevents capable men and women with vital skills from serving in the armed forces. However, I believe a vote today is premature.

Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen indicated initially that the impact of such a drastic change in military and cultural policy should be thoroughly reviewed, studied, and appropriate policies developed by the Department of Defense before Congress takes legislative action. Such a review and policy development would be completed by December 1, 2010.

Therefore, I believe Congress should forgo legislative action until appropriately informed by the Pentagon's impact study, policy development, and implementation plan.

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