Late yesterday, we learned that the White House has reportedly reached a deal with Congressional leaders to include a repeal of DADT in the upcoming Defense Authorization bill. It’s a promising sign that equality can’t wait.
Just today, however, we learned that Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) has said he will vote against including a repeal of DADT in the bill:
Brown's opposition makes it likely that a vote in committee for repeal will be along party lines, thus making full Senate passage less certain.
A separate vote on repeal before the full House of Representatives is also scheduled for Thursday.
We are closer than ever to repealing this immoral, ineffective, discriminatory policy.
I’ve said it from the very beginning of my campaign: brave men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives for our country should be asked one question and one question only – can they do the job?
Now is the time for action.
On May 17th, I launched an advocacy campaign to help people call their members of Congress calling on them to pass an immediate repeal of DADT. Our site, EqualityCantWait.com, has helped Americans from coast to coast contact their leaders and ask them to include a repeal of DADT in the Defense Authorization bill.
Here’s a video of our launch of EqualityCantWait.com, with testimonials about how this policy has affected people right here in Illinois.
Use the easy tool on EqualityCantWait.com to contact your own Senator and ask that they vote FOR a repeal of DADT on the Senate floor.
My Republican opponent, Congressman Mark Kirk, thinks the policy has "worked out well" and has said that it’s best to keep "all that" "out of the workplace."
I fundamentally disagree.
With thousands of brave men and women living under the cloud of this policy, we need to repeal DADT, and we need to do it now.
Equal rights can't wait. For the sake of our national security and our character as a nation, DADT must be repealed now.
With your action today, we can make it happen.
Thank you for standing up for what’s right, and for standing with our best in uniform for the equality they and all Americans deserve.