December 18, 2010

 Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today after a landmark vote in the Senate to invoke cloture on a bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”:

“We are on the verge of ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ for good.  This is one of those moments in our history when we stepped up and squared our policies with the values this nation was founded upon.  I applaud those Republicans who have joined us to repeal this policy, and hope that even more will join us on the right side of history when we complete our work, and end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’

“I have supported repealing this policy for many years.  The Defense Department has asked Congress to promptly repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ to prevent the policy from bouncing around in the courts.  Throughout its history, our military has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to change, and our military leaders have advised us that this change is both important and necessary.

“I commend the leadership of Chairman Levin, Senator Lieberman, Senator Collins and others, whose tireless efforts to repeal this policy have helped to make this day possible. ”