Senators Schatz, Gillibrand & Congressman Pocan Reintroduce Legislation To Restore Honor To Service Members Discharged Due To Sexual Orientation
WASHINGTON – Today, as Americans celebrate LGBT Pride Month, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) reintroduced the Restore Honor to Service Members Act. The legislation will correct the military records of service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation to reflect their honorable service and reinstate the benefits they earned.
“With this bill, Congress has the opportunity to honor our commitment to all Americans who serve in our nation’s military and right the wrong of past discrimination,” said Senator Schatz. “It puts into law the steps the Department of Defense has taken to restore the dignity of gay and lesbian veterans who were unjustly discharged from our armed forces and give them access to the benefits and honorable service records that are rightfully theirs.”
“The Restore Honor to Service Members Act will help streamline the process for veterans to clear their records of discriminatory discharges,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Veterans who honorably serve our nation should not be fighting for their honor and their benefits. Our veterans deserve to receive the recognition and benefits they earned for the sacrifice they made for our country and I think it is critically important that their ability to do so is enshrined in law.”
“Far too many people in our country still face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, including our veterans,” said Representative Pocan. “It is crucial that those veterans discharged from the armed forces due to their sexual orientation receive the recognition and benefits they deserve. The Restore Honor to Service Members Act streamlines this process, ensuring their service and sacrifices are respected and valued in the eyes of our country.”
Since World War II, more than 100,000 Americans are estimated to have been discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation. Those forced out of the military may have left with discharge statuses of “other than honorable,” “general discharge” or “dishonorable,” depending on the circumstances. As a consequence, many of these service members may be disqualified from accessing certain benefits that they earned and are entitled to, and may not be able to claim veteran status. The consequences of a negative discharge also include preventing some veterans from voting or making it more difficult for them to acquire civilian employment.
The legislation is supported by OutServe-SLDN, the Human Rights Campaign, American Veterans for Equal Rights, the American Bar Association, Universal Unitarian Association, and the American Humanist Association.
The Restore Honor to Service Members Act is also cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). In addition to Representative Pocan, the bill has 106 cosponsors and has bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.
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