Senator Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY) announced yesterday that a Senate hearing on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on homosexuals in the military will be held in the fall. The Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), will hold a hearing on the policy after Congress returns from its August recess, reports The Hill.
In a press release, Gillibrand stated, “‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is an unfair, outdated measure that violates the civil rights of some of our bravest, most heroic men and women. By repealing this policy, we will increase America’s strength – both militarily and morally.”
Instituted by former President Bill Clinton in 1993, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” prohibits the military from inquiring about a service member’s sexual orientation, but also calls for the discharge of anyone who acknowledges being homosexual. The Senate has not discussed the policy in 16 years.
