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RECOGNIZING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from California
(Mr. Takano) for 30 minutes.
General Leave
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, today's Special Order hour marks the 10-
year anniversary of the enactment of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. This legislation represented the end of an era, the close of a dark chapter in our military history in which LGBTQ members of the Armed Forces were forced to hide who they were under the threat of investigation and discharge. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer servicemembers of that era paid a heavy cost to serve their country, one that required them to uphold an uncompromising oath of integrity while at the same time publicly denying a fundamental aspect of their lives. It is thanks to their resilience, their strength, and their activism that repeal was ever achieved, and we honor those veterans today.
I believe it is important to hear from the veterans themselves from those who served and survived Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It is my pleasure this evening to welcome a number of my colleagues to the floor to read the testimony of five individuals who served under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
It is my distinct privilege to start with the testimony of Lindsay Church, a Navy veteran who served from 2008 to 2012. Lindsay is a third-generation sailor and the sixth in their family to serve in the military. They are a cofounder and executive director of the veteran serving organization Minority Veterans of America and have nearly a decade of experience in veterans advocacy. And this is Lindsay's story:
``In 2008, I joined the Navy where I would serve for 4 years before being medically retired. I served all but 3 months of my time under the military's discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. I could tell you a lot of stories that range from bullying and reprimand for my nonbinary appearance, failed relationships due to the fact that I had to hide them at every turn, and exploitation by other servicemembers threatening to tell my secret if I didn't continue to date them. Even as I spent months recovering from life-changing injuries as a result of my service, I was made to suffer alone because my relationships were legally prohibited.
``As I have unpacked my service as a veteran, I look back at the intense scars that Don't Ask, Don't Tell inflicted on my life. In conversations with other Don't Ask, Don't Tell survivors, I have come to realize that serving under this policy has left a generation of queer servicemembers with intense trauma and a fracture of our identities. For veterans like myself, we were often faced with a choice upon leaving the military and coming to the veteran community: Be a veteran or be queer because you can't be both here.
``It has taken me nearly a decade since leaving the service to find healing and engage in healthy relationships. I couldn't speak out against this policy when I was in uniform, so it is imperative for me today to remind this body that policies like Don't Ask, Don't Tell cause widespread trauma and harm to generations of servicemembers who fought for our country but were forced to remain voiceless. Moral injury will follow with each of us for the rest of our lives.
``My story of service was tarnished by Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Every day I carried a lie while attempting to live up to the Navy's core values of honor, courage, and commitment. I am deeply proud of the years of my life I gave to serving my country, and that will never change. The scars I carry as a result of that service will also never change. Though they may fade, they will never be forgotten.''
So I would like to extend my deep thanks to Lindsay, both for their service and the courage to share their story.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.
Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, it is a great honor to be part of this Special Order hour, and I thank Chairman Takano, who is not only a leader in the Equality Caucus but also chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for organizing our Special Order hour.
I know we are joined by several other members of our caucus, including one of our new members, an extraordinary gentleman from New Hampshire, Chris Pappas, who we will hear from in just a moment.
As chair of the LGBTQ-Plus Equality Caucus. I am very proud to be here tonight to stand alongside my colleagues as we mark this very important anniversary.
Ten years ago, a, historic wrong was corrected when Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed. I wish I could say it is hard to remember when members of the LGBTQ community had to push for their right to serve our country openly. But we continue to struggle for full equality in our military and in many other areas of our lives.
A few years ago, President Trump imposed a ban on transgender people serving their country in the military. Thankfully, President Biden reversed that move and just in the past days his administration has taken additional steps to ensure equal access to services for those unfairly discharged.
Thousands of members of the LGBTQ community have served and continue to serve in our Nation's military, and we are grateful for their service. We understand that military service is inherently stressful and dangerous, and those who serve are heroes for putting themselves in harm's way to protect us all.
Now imagine conducting that service knowing that your very identity must be kept hidden at the risk of being thrown out with a dishonorable discharge. And we know that LGBTQ servicemembers had more to fear than separation. They had to face discrimination and potentially violence within their ranks should their identity be known.
The problems facing LGBTQ servicemembers did not vanish immediately upon repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I am proud of my colleagues who continue to push to create a level playing field for those discharged under this discriminatory policy. I particularly want to acknowledge Congressman Takano and Congressman Pocan. But there is still more work to be done, and the LGBTQ-Plus Equality Caucus is committed to continuing this fight alongside those who have served.
Today, as Chairman Takano mentioned, my colleagues and I will read some firsthand accounts from people discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell so the American people can really understand the story of their lives.
My story is from John Hegwood, who served in the Army and identifies as a gay, bi-racial cisgender man.
He writes: ``I joined the military knowing, at least intellectually, that I couldn't be my authentic self. However, it would take several years of introspection to realize what impact this would have on my life. I told myself it would be easy to navigate as a gay man since I grew up in the very rural and antigay western part of Texas. I thought this would be a proverbial `walk in the park.'
``When I first heard that Don't Ask, Don't Tell would be repealed, I was incredulous and nearly in tears. It was almost unimaginable that this would occur within my lifetime. My then-partner and I were both military and couldn't even acknowledge our relationship in the workplace. The darker side of this otherwise heartening news is that the coming months until it was fully repealed would feel like an even more hostile environment.
``With Don't Ask, Don't Tell as the status quo for over a decade, I had the privilege of mostly flying under the radar of most of my colleagues who deemed LGBTQ soldiers as a benign part of the fighting force. Now with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell at the forefront of the military's collective consciousness, it all but painted a target on my back as I became the focus of everyone's ire if they disagreed with the repeal that was looming on the horizon.
``I now carry with me a sense of resentment towards the military because of the harassment, hazing, bullying, and discrimination I encountered while serving from those that I was supposed to trust my life with. I had to choose between serving my country and my relationship.
``Now, we might have made some progress as a society. Last month I celebrated 10 wonderful years with that same man I couldn't even acknowledge in the workplace 10 years ago. He is now my husband, and the military that would have discharged him a decade ago now honors our marriage and was very accommodating in granting a compassionate reassignment of duty location when I was diagnosed with stage III non-
Hodgkin's lymphoma.
``This doesn't mean that homophobia simply disappeared, or that everyone suddenly had no issues with us simply existing as we are. To this day it is not entirely safe for us to hold hands in public, and members of the LGBTQ community are still facing discrimination in our Armed Forces and in society as a whole.''
Madam Speaker, those words powerfully written are really a call to action as we celebrate 10 years of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to recognize we have much more work to do to ensure that all members of the LGBTQ community can live full lives free from discrimination of any kind.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Cicilline for that testimony that he read on behalf of John Hegwood, former Army servicemember.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) to share the story of Air Force veteran Landon Marchant.
Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and for his longstanding commitment to fighting for those who have served all of us.
So today does mark the 10th anniversary of the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It was a deeply flawed, deeply prejudiced policy of our government that prohibited LGBTQ individuals from serving openly in the Armed Forces.
{time} 2030
The policy told LGBTQ individuals that they were not welcome to serve their country, that their government viewed them as second-class citizens.
It also forced many who swore an oath to give everything for their country, up to and including their lives, to hide who they were and to live in secret or to face the loss of a job, a life's calling, financial security, health, and happiness.
Americans who were ready, willing, and eager to serve their country were forced to leave the armed services for good, many receiving less-
than-honorable discharges. It is estimated that over 13,000 servicemembers were discharged in the 17 years that Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enforced.
A decade after its repeal, Don't Ask, Don't Tell still casts a long, dark, and disgraceful shadow and haunts those who were targeted. We have much more work to do to correct this tremendous injustice endured by those who served and were discharged during Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
That is why I was proud to introduce the Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned Act, or SERVE Act, to help correct these injustices and guaranteeing VA benefits for LGBTQ-plus veterans forced out of service for being themselves. This includes veterans who were discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, those issued so-called blue discharges during World War II, as well as those forced out under the Trump's administration discriminatory policy on transgender servicemembers.
I want to highlight one story of a courageous veteran, Landon Marchant. Landon Marchant is a transgender veteran of the Air Force who enlisted to serve their country and for the promise of a better life. But after just 22 months, they were dishonorably discharged.
As Landon writes: ``The impact of Don't Ask, Don't Tell did not end when I received my discharge paperwork, and it did not end when the ban was finally repealed. It has impacted my post-military life. I was discharged less than 2 months before reaching the 2-year minimum for full GI Bill eligibility, and I have had to fight for my disability benefits while having inconsistent employment.''
So it took nearly 10 years after their discharge to be awarded the VA benefits that Landon had earned, and still, this fight continues.
Stories like Landon's are heartbreaking. I thank them for having the courage to stand up and to speak out about this personal experience.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell isn't just about a policy on paper. It is about living, breathing people, like Landon and thousands more who lived with the stigma, the trauma, and the adverse effects.
I applaud the Department of Veterans Affairs for announcing that it will work to correct injustices like Landon's. And I urge my colleagues in this Chamber to support these efforts and others that will provide all LGBTQ-plus servicemembers and veterans with the full measure of equality, of care, and of respect that they have earned through their service.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Pappas for sharing the testimony of Landon Marchant.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), a Congressman who himself is a Marine veteran, to share the story of Air Force veteran Hanna Tripp.
Mr. MOULTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.
Hanna Tripp served in the Air Force from 2009 to 2013. Hanna is also a Team Moulton alum, where she did extraordinary work for veterans in Massachusetts' Sixth District. Today, as a senior policy adviser at Minority Veterans of America, she continues to advocate for veterans everywhere.
I am grateful to be here on this year's 10th anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and I am honored to share Hanna's story with you all.
This is her story, in her words: ``I graduated flight school at the top of my class; flew 20 combat missions in Iraq; and later brought back the remains of our fallen from Afghanistan.
``Objectively, I was a good airman. However, nothing that I did or could do would supersede the fact that I was trans. In coming out, my service to this country would have been made irrelevant simply by this one aspect of who I was.
``So, in order to remain, I chose to bifurcate myself; to project a facade of the person the military expected me to be. The catch-22 was that while I heard members of my squadron talk about how `the gays' would destroy our combat effectiveness, I was unable to demonstrate that it didn't. This is the most enduring aspect of Don't Ask, Don't Tell for me. It was not that people like me were banned. It is that we were denied the opportunity to show our worth.
``Being trans in the Air Force was to live two versions of a lie: the lie you showed to the world in denying this fundamental truth and the lie that you told to yourself in doing so.
``There was also a feeling of betraying the community. How can I expect change if I don't have the courage to be the change I want to see? Why would those who had negative perceptions of `the gays' think any differently if I was too cowardly to show them?
``With absolutely no hubris, I can say that my service to this country was both valuable and needed. I enlisted in the middle of a war to serve in a career field that guaranteed I would be sent to the front lines. I recognize the contributions I made, but I can't say I am proud of my service, as I failed to stand up for the very values that I was fighting for.
``What is strange to me is that being trans is such a small part of who I am, but because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, it has become a large part of how my service is perceived.
``I still feel the legacy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell even to this day. At the VA, I was denied emergency care for no other reason than I was trans. Even now, I remain cut off from most of the people I served with.
``When squadmates died from suicide, when Iraq fell to ISIS, and while I battled my own experiences from the war, I did so alone. To this day, people with no service in the military still freely challenge the veracity of trans service.
``For people such as myself, Don't Ask, Don't Tell meant that our accomplishments, our stories, and our service was hidden because we were forced to remain hidden.''
That is powerful testimony from Hanna Tripp, an American hero.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, I express my gratitude to the gentleman from Massachusetts for sharing Hanna Tripp's story. She truly is and was a courageous member of our Armed Forces, and it was very moving testimony. I read it in advance and nearly teared up.
I thank the Member for being here today to share with the rest of the country who Hanna is. I thank all the Members for sharing the stories of our LGBTQ members.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger), my colleague, to share the story of Army veteran Stephanie Merlo.
Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
The repeal of this policy allowed thousands of American servicemembers to live and serve without fear. Finally, brave Americans are able to defend their country--our country--without worrying about both the stigma and the punishment that they could face because of whom they loved.
This decision, the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, impacted many of my constituents in Virginia's Seventh District, including Stephanie Merlo, an Army veteran. With her permission, I am honored to share her story tonight on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Stephanie begins by explaining that: ``A year after 9/11 happened, I enlisted as an Active Duty servicemember in the Army. My mom cried; my brother was proud; and I was honestly excited and scared both at the same time.
``Was I scared of deploying? Sure, a little. Was I afraid of failing? Of course.
``But my overall fear, that which consumed me beyond the point of depression, was the fear of being `ousted' and discharged for being a lesbian. In February of 2004, that fear showed its face, and I was backed into a corner with deciding how I wanted to proceed with my military career.''
How many servicemembers had this fear? How many brave soldiers served honorably but with a secret, a secret that they knew could end their career in the military, their career of service to our Nation?
And Stephanie had two secrets: her sexuality, a secret she kept to protect her military career, and a secret regarding the sexual assault she suffered while in the Army. You see, reporting it could also mean revealing the secret of her sexuality.
Stephanie couldn't seek justice as a victim because seeking justice would mean she could potentially bring an end to her career. She could potentially be identified as gay in the military.
Stephanie was faced with this horrible choice, this horrible reality, and all the while, her intention had been to bravely serve our Nation, as so many brave LGBTQ Americans have.
I am proud to share this story because Stephanie reflects on the fact that had Don't Ask, Don't Tell not been in place, perhaps a bit of her story would have gone differently. She says that she never regretted her decision to join the Army, but she still lives with the regret of not allowing herself to live her truth.
Stephanie's story is emblematic of the struggles, the hardships, and, most importantly, the triumphs of so many who have served in our Air Force before the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
During that time, members of our military showed tremendous courage, selflessness. They served our country with the utmost honor and valor, and they put their service to country above even living their own truth. But our military is stronger because of the repeal.
Our military has always been strong because of brave servicemembers, brave soldiers like Stephanie, and our Nation is better because it has been protected by people like Stephanie and so many of the stories we have heard today. Our Nation is better protected because of the protections afforded to those who put on the uniform.
Tonight, we have the opportunity to reflect on the importance of this decision on the 10th anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. For thousands of servicemembers and veterans like Stephanie, this decision was long overdue.
May we always look to defend and support those who are willing to serve our country, sacrifice on behalf of our fellow Americans, and build a stronger Nation. I am grateful to every LGBTQ servicemember who has served, past or present. I thank them for their sacrifice to our country, and I am so grateful that as they serve today, they can do it celebrating their full selves.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for sharing the very moving story of Stephanie Merlo, for expressing her humanity on the floor today. The Representative exemplifies, to me, the best of my Caucus, the Democratic Caucus, and the values we stand up for, which is to include more people in ``we the people.''
Madam Speaker, this concludes our Special Order hour. I thank my colleagues for their participation and each of the veterans who shared their stories and, in particular, every veteran and servicemember who gave their service to our country in the face of overwhelming prejudice.
We recognize today as the 10th anniversary of an important first step toward making the Armed Forces more inclusive and accepting, a commitment that I and all my colleagues here today will continue to carry forward.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record a statement of a constituent of mine, Staff Sergeant Ashley Carothers, who is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Staff Sergeant Carothers served from 2005 to 2013, and thus was subject to the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy for most of her service. I share her story as we commemorate 10 years since the repeal of ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' Staff Sergeant Carothers was honorably discharged in 2013 and lives in the District of Columbia.
This is what she has said about her experience:
During my Air Force career, I lived a double life. I was an actress portraying a straight Airman on a stage called life and behind closed doors a very broken human being that desperately just wanted to be herself. I was a lesbian in hiding. I was the Airman that did it all, scored as high as they could on tests, worked to know the job better than the rest and volunteer for everything that I could in hopes that my busy life would never uncover the truth. Behind the curtain I dated but relationships couldn't really completely build because there was always a sense of getting caught especially in a mil to mil relationship. Supervisors constantly questioning you and trying to set you up with the new guy in the shop and always prying into why you constantly denied any male advances. The worst part was the feeling of always being alone while fending off the wolves (male airmen) and dodging sexual harassment and assault as a woman just trying to serve her country. I guess it made me stronger in a weird messed up way as I was able to provide support to others later in my career, support I never had.
While serving in Germany I had the privilege to be one of the chapter leaders for the then-underground organization known as OutServe. Prior to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell we had a large number of LGBT service members all over the European theater that relied on each other for support and a sense of community. During this timeframe, multiple individuals struggled further with their military leadership as those opposed to the repeal expressed their views verbally, leaving many with anxiety about the future. There were many late-night phone calls trying to be the voice of reason in moments of doubt and desperation when options to turn to mental health professionals were nonexistent for fear of discharge. Not being able to fight for them and speak freely and openly to commands for support damaged individuals beyond repair. If anyone went to speak to a mental health professional and disclosed the fact that they identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, they would be on the chopping block as they were serving under Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On top of that, many served in career fields that they had to report any visit to a mental health professional, further limiting these individuals who desperately needed assistance. These individuals had no one to turn to and suffered in silence. Most even after the repeal couldn't come out as lesbian, gay or bisexual for fear of mistreatment from their superiors. Some suffered greatly by coming out to their commands, as they had to work twice as hard to prove themselves and were often overlooked for promotion and awards.
Balancing my own life struggles and the struggles of those that looked to me for support was a pretty demanding time in my career. My career and health did suffer, but I often think about what life would have been like if I hadn't been able to give so much or if the military would have just let humans be humans by being their true authentic selves in the first place. The constant jokes, ridicule and mistreatment from superiors hasn't gone away. On this anniversary, I hope that those in charge will finally take the right steps and change the culture.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to share Staff Sergeant Carothers' story and to remember the thousands like her who were harmed by Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 162
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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