CONGRE S S WOMAN ELLEN TAU S CHER TO MAKE MAJOR
ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING ‘DON’T A S K, DON’T TELL’

June 13 Conference Call Will Also Feature S ervicemembers Legal Defense Network

WHAT:           A media conference call regarding a significant development in the Congressional effort to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

WHO:             Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), a recognized leader on defense, homeland security and veterans’ issues, will speak with members of the media about her new role in the Congressional campaign to repeal the military’s ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel.  A member of the House Armed S ervices Committee, Congresswoman Tauscher is chair of the S trategic Forces S ubcommittee and a member of the Oversight and Investigations S ubcommittee as well as the Air and Land S ubcommittee. S he has served on the House Defense Review Threat Panel, S ubcommittee on Projection Force, and S ubcommittee on Terrorism Unconventional Threats and Capabilities.  S he has also traveled to the Middle East five times since the start of the Iraq war, including three trips to Iraq , and has visited troops and met with foreign leaders in Iraq , Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries while serving in Congress.

Congresswoman Tauscher will be joined by S harra E. Greer, Esq., director of law and policy for S ervicemembers Legal Defense Network ( S LDN), and Joe S olmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). 

WHY:             S ince 1993, more than 11,000 service personnel have been dismissed under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), nearly 800 of those dismissed had skills deemed ‘mission-critical’ by the Pentagon, including more than 300 language experts.  Every day, the armed forces fire at least two people for being lesbian, gay or bisexual.  The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), a Congressional proposal to repeal the law, is currently pending in the U. S . House of Representatives, and is supported by a coalition of 125 bi-partisan lawmakers.

WHEN:          Wednesday, June 13, 2007 ? 2pm E S T

HOW:             For dial-in information, and other details related to the call, please contact Victor Maldonado at (202) 328-3244, ext. 123, or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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S ervicemembers Legal Defense Network is a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and related forms of intolerance.  For more information, visit www.sldn.org.