|
Grab your favorite anti-anxiety remedy (Xanax, two mimosas, a pair of tranquility balls to twirl in your hand—whatever it takes) and follow the jump to read news of a blood-boiling vote that just took place in the U.S. House.
By a vote of 236 - 184, the U.S. House has voted to strip funding from Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal. The amendment voted on early Friday bans the use of defense appropriations funds to train military chaplains about repeal and implementation of the law in what boils down to nothing more than prolonging the official end of the discriminatory law.
Moreover, even Rep. Huelskamp, an anti-gay lawmaker who filed one of the DADT-slowing amendments, admits he hasn't even read the freaking repeal training manual he sought to defund!
A transcript of yesterday's floor vote reveals this absurdity:
Rep. Polis: Has the gentleman from Kansas read the training manual that he is seeking to defund in this case?
Rep. Huelskamp: Madam Chair, that is an excellent question. We tried to obtain a copy of that from the Department of Defense today and they refused to provide a copy. What I do have is an online three-page summary of the manual.
Rep. Polis: So, reclaiming my time, I think that the straight answer is no. In fact, our ranking member and others have been unable to get that from the Navy Liaison’s Office.
Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese quickly issued a response, writing:
“In their continued zeal to interfere with the repeal of DADT and micromanage the Defense Department, House Republicans have reached a new low by voting to strip funds for trainings that they have not even read. By all reports, training for DADT repeal has been proceeding smoothly and the memorandum that they have found so concerning has been withdrawn.
“Apparently the House vote last night to needlessly restate that DOMA is still the law of the land wasn’t enough. Now, led by Rep. Huelskamp, a majority of the House has voted to overrule military leaders about personnel training without even bothering to read that training first.
“It is now up to the Senate to reject this farcical political gamesmanship that disrespects the Pentagon, our fighting men and women, and LGBT Americans.”
 |
