By The Associated Press
10.02.2009 4:35pm EDT
(Washington) Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to hear from the Obama administration on how
to overturn the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on gays serving openly in the
military.
In the meantime, the
Nevada Democrat is asking President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert
Gates to share their views and recommendations on the controversial policy. In Sept. 24 letters to
Obama and Gates, Reid also asked for a review of the cases of two U.S. officers
who were discharged from the military because of their sexuality. “At a time when we are
fighting two wars, I do not believe we can afford to discharge any qualified
individual who is willing to serve our country,” Reid wrote in identical
letters to Obama and Gates that were obtained Friday by The Associated Press. Obama signaled during
last year’s election campaign that he supported repealing the law. But to the
chagrin of his gay-rights supporters, he has made no move to do so since taking
office in January. The White House has said it will not stop the military from
dismissing gays and lesbians who acknowledge their sexuality. Last year, 634 members
of the military were discharged for being gay, or .045 percent of the
active-duty U.S. force, according to an Aug. 14 congressional report. The largest number of
gays who were ousted under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy came in 2001,
when 1,227 were discharged, or .089 of the force. The House is considering
legislation to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” and allow people who have been
discharged under the policy to rejoin the military. The law is being pushed
chiefly by Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., a former captain in the Army’s 82nd
Airborne Division who served in Bosnia and Iraq. Murphy has said he
does not expect congressional hearings on the policy until next year.