Hunter’s Not Giving Up on Stopping DADT Repeal Just Yet
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) — the House’s version of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal debate — isn’t taking his cues from McCain, who has said he will do “everything” he can to make the implementation of DADT repeal work.
Hunter is heading in the opposite direction, with The Hill reporting that he plans to introduce a bill to amend repeal to require the certification of the service chiefs — in addition to the already required certification of the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — that DADT repeal will not negatively impact military readiness and other concerns.
From The Hill:
“The chairman technically speaks for the chiefs, but they should be included in the debate,” said the aide. “The chiefs are the ones carrying the burden of combat on their shoulders.”
Hunter’s measure would require the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps chiefs to submit to the congressional defense committees “written certification that repeal … will not degrade the readiness, effectiveness, cohesion and morale of combat arms units and personnel of the armed force under [each] officer’s jurisdiction engaged in combat, deployed to a combat theater, or preparing for deployment to a combat theater,” according to a copy obtained by The Hill. …
The aide said Hunter could introduce the bill as soon as Tuesday evening, adding that “15 to 20” members — so far all Republicans — have signed on.
Regardless of what happens in the House, the bill is unlikely to pass in Congress because it likely would meet with strong opposition from Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich..), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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