Today, Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Carl Levin (D-MI), Mark Udall (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Roland Burris (D-IL), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Al Franken (D-MN) “introduced legislation to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and enhance our country’s military effectiveness,” according to a press release.
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010 contains three main provisions: it will repeal the law that prevents gay Americans from openly serving in the military, prohibit discrimination against current and prospective service members on the basis of sexual orientation, and promote the ability of college students who wish to serve our country to join Reserve Officer Training Corps units at universities that currently prevent the establishment of ROTC units on campus.
Update (3/9): According to a press release issued today, “nine additional United States Senators have joined as co-sponsors to the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (S. 3065).”
Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) have signed on to the bill, which Senator Lieberman introduced with Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and thirteen other original co-sponsors on March 1.
Update (3/18): According to a press release issued today, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has signed on as a co-sponsor of this legislation.
“No American should be forced to lie about who they are in order to serve their country,” said Dodd. “It’s time to put a stop to this discriminatory policy, which discourages capable and eager individuals from signing up for this important job. For the sake of our servicemen and women, our national defense, and the American values our military defends, we must end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”
(credit image – reuters)
Congress in Your Pocket
S E N A T U S 
Not judging the merits of the bill one way or the other…
I wonder if Specter would have co-sponsored this if he was still an “R”