Platts Supports Orderly Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Todd Platts (R-PA) issued the following statement regarding his vote in favor of House of Representatives Bill 2965 (H.R. 2965), which repeals the Department of Defense’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy:

“On March 2, 2010, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) would conduct a thorough review of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy prohibiting openly gay men and women from serving in the military.  The review was to examine the impact that repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy would have on military readiness and effectiveness, unit cohesion, recruiting, retention, and family readiness. 

The review solicited feedback from more than 500,000 active duty and reserve component Service members and spouses, with more than 200,000 responses ultimately being received.  The Working Group that conducted the review was composed of forty-nine military personnel, officer and enlisted, and nineteen civilian personnel from across the Department of Defense and the Military Services.  The Group was Co-Chaired by General Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army, and the Honorable Jeh C. Johnson, Department of Defense General Counsel.

In May of this year, while DOD’s review was still underway, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act that would have effectively repealed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.  I voted against this amendment because I felt it was disrespectful to the men and women in uniform and their families for Congress to vote on a repeal of this policy without first considering their vital input.

The Department of Defense’s nine-month review of the impact of repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was completed last month.  The review’s findings include an understandably broad range of opinions about the likely impact of said repeal.  Ultimately, however, the review concludes that repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy can be implemented in a manner that minimizes the risks associated with military readiness and effectiveness, unit cohesion, recruiting, retention, and family readiness.  I agree.

It is important to note that House of Representatives Bill 2965 (H.R. 2965) does not repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy immediately.  Rather, repeal is made contingent upon the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certifying to Congress that the Department of Defense has prepared the necessary policies and regulations to implement the repeal in a manner that is “consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces.”  Such a deliberate and orderly implementation of the repeal will be critical to its success and is consistent with the recommendations of the Department of Defense review.

In addition to my consideration of the Department of Defense’s review, I received and thoughtfully considered the input of many currently serving military personnel and veterans in the 19th District, as well as numerous other 19th District residents.  Similar to the findings of the DOD review, the input I received from my constituents included passionate appeals for and against repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.       

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have had the privilege to interact with thousands of our nation’s armed service members – here at home and overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and elsewhere.  Each of these interactions has been truly inspiring and humbling.  Our men and women in uniform, along with their loved ones, are the true heroes of our nation.  But for their selfless service, the freedoms that all of us fellow Americans enjoy everyday would not be.  Given that these proud Americans have answered the call to serve and stand ready to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their fellow citizens, each and every one of them has earned my highest respect and heartfelt gratitude. 

 
In light of the tremendous number of troops that I have interacted with over the last ten years, it is safe to say that I have visited and thanked a significant number of gay or lesbian soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, and coast guardsmen for their courageous and dedicated service in defense of all that is good about our great country.  In light of the findings of the Department of Defense review, to oppose a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy would contradict the respect and gratitude that I feel for all who serve – regardless of their sexual orientation.  As such, I support an orderly repeal of the policy along the lines contemplated in the DOD report and contained in H.R. 2965.

In conclusion, I share the sentiments expressed by the co-chairs of the Department of Defense review, General Ham and Mr. Johnson, when they stated: 

‘We are both convinced that our military can do this, even during this time of war.  We do not underestimate the challenges in implementing a change in the law, but neither should we underestimate the ability of our extraordinarily dedicated Service men and women to adapt to such change and continue to provide our Nation with the military capability to accomplish any mission.’”