(House Armed Services Committee) votes to delay gays in military

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

A House panel has voted to delay President Barack Obama's new policy to allow gays to serve openly in the military.

The House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment that would require all four service chiefs to certify the change won't hurt readiness. The repeal law only requires certification from the president, defense secretary and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman. The vote was 33-27.

Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. of California said Obama never served in the military.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/11/national/w202440D17.DTL&tsp=1

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Source: Washington Blade

... The vote in favor of the Hunter amendment was mostly along party lines, although Reps. Todd Platts (R-Pa.) and Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.) voted against the measure. Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) was the sole Democrat to vote in favor of the measure.

... “Right now as it stands, the only folks thar have sign on to this are the president, who was never been to war or in ground combat, Adm. (Mike) Mullen, who, with all due respect to him, has never been to ground combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, and Secretary Gates, a political appointee, who is very fine gentleman but has never been in ground combat in Iraq or Afghanistan,” Hunter said. “I, and others in this room, have more combat experience than the people who would sign off on the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”

... Hunter’s amendment was one of several anti-gay amendments the House Armed Services Committee approved on Wednesday as part of the defense authorization bill. Other measures affirmed the panel’s commitment to the DOMA, which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

... Rep. W. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) introduced an amendment mandating that marriage ceremonies on military installations must comply with DOMA and that chaplains can only officiate in their official capacity over marriage ceremonies if they comply with the anti-gay law.

Reaad more: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/05/12/house-panel-adopts-anti-gay-amendments-in-defense-bill/