Obama signs ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal law

Gay rights advocates are hailing Wednesday morning’s signing of legislation repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

President Barack Obama has officially signed the new law, which sets the stage for the Department of Defense to begin developing new policies to allow openly gay and lesbian people to serve in the U.S. military and a path to implementation. While the signing is the step in removing the 17-year-old ban, the policy remains in effect until the president and the Department of Defense certify to Congress that the policy removal will not impact military units.

While investigations and discharges under the policy might continue, gay rights organizations called the signing “historic” and “the defining civil rights measure,” for the country.

From Aubrey Sarvis, Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network:

“In signing this bill today, President Obama delivered on a defining civil rights measure for our country and for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members who have been silenced for far too long. Clearly, this is President Obama’s Lyndon Johnson moment in history. A measure of dignity has been restored to thousands of service members on active duty, and to over a million gay veterans who served in silence. This historic moment is about those service members and their service.”

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese had this to say:

“Today gay and lesbian patriots serving their country in silence, and thousands more who wish to serve the country they love, can breathe a sigh of relief that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is on its way out. Soon, all service members will be able to serve with the full honesty and integrity the uniform demands. No more careers will come to an end because of an unjust law. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has weakened our military readiness and is now on its way to the dustbin of history.”

The group’s website features the statement “Victory. President signs ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal into law.”

And Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force issued the following statement:

“We celebrate this historic day, when our country has honored the principles of fairness and justice it holds so dearly. This is a tremendous victory. We thank all those who fought for and supported an end to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy — they truly are on the right side of history. Seventeen years of witch hunts under this policy have cost thousands of exemplary service members their careers, once again proving there are very personal and costly consequences of discrimination. This cannot end fast enough. Our entire country benefits when fairness prevails, when qualified and patriotic service members no longer have to fear being targeted by their own government, when courageous men and women are able to serve openly and honestly. We thank President Obama for signing this critical legislation and now call upon him as commander in chief, and his top military leaders, to swiftly lead us through to full implementation.”

Sitting in the audience were several former members of the U.S. military who had been tossed from the military under the policy. Among them was Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Arabic linguistic who made headlines when he came out on the Rachel Maddow Show in March of last year. He was subsequently discharged from the military. He has lead vocal protests, including twice chaining himself to the fence in front of the White House.

During the July Netroots Nation in Las Vegas, Choi got up on stage with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Choi gave Reid his West Point ring, and Reid told him he would give it back when the law was repealed.

Both of Michigan’s Senators voted for the legislation on Saturday.

Here is President Obama’s speech from the signing ceremony: