,,iv  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #ffe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #bj1 #bjba  
,mr4 ,takano 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,pappas1 &
 ,mr4 ,pocan7 submitt$ ! foll[+         
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,arm$ ,s]vices  ,,resolution        
,commemorat+ ! #aj? anniv]s>y ( ! repeal
 ( ! ,dont ,ask1 ,dont ,tell1 ,don't    
,pursue policy4  ,:]eas #aj ye>s ago1 on
 ,septemb] #bj1 #bjaa1 ! repeal ( !     
policy kn[n z ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell1
 ,don't ,pursue took effect1 (ficially  
all[+ lesbian1 gay1 bisexual1 transg5d]1
 & que] 7,,lgbtq7 memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces
 to s]ve op5ly & )\t conceal+ _! sexual 
ori5tation2 ,:]eas ! ,don't ,ask1 ,don't
 ,tell policy1 :i* held t the pres5ce 9 
! arm$ =ces ( p]sons :o demon/rate a    
prop5sity or int5t to engage 9          
homosexual acts w\ld create an          
unacceptable risk to ! high /&>ds (     
morale1 good ord] & discipl9e1 & unit   
cohesion :i* are ! ess5ce ( milit>y     
capability1 0 codifi$ 9 ! fiscal ye>    

#aiid ,national ,def5se ,au?orization   
,act1 :i* 0 sign$ into law by ,presid5t 
,bill ,cl9ton on ,novemb] #cj1 #aiic2   
,:]eas1 "u ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell1   
any memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces t /at$ !y 7   
homosexual or bisexual1 engag$ or       
attempt$ to engage 9 homosexual acts1 or
 m>ri$ or attempt$ to m>ry someone ( !  
same sex c\ld be dis*>g$ = violat+      
policy2 h[ev]1 ! law itself did n prev5t
 s]vicememb]s f be+ ask$ ab\t _!        
sexuality2 ,:]eas1 :ile ! int5tion ( !  
policy 0 to elim9ate ! outright ban on  
,,lgbtq memb]s 9 ! milit>y t exi/$ prior
 to #aiic1 x creat$ an environm5t :i*   
p]mitt$ ,,lgbtq individuals to s]ve on !
 condition t !y nev] id5tify !mselves z 
nonhet]osexual1 ei!r ?r\gh actions or   
words2 ,:]eas1 9 ! #ah-ye> span t ,don't
 ,ask1 ,don't ,tell s]v$ z (ficial      
policy1 ov] #ac1jjj s]vicememb]s 7      
dis*>g$ z a result ( ! policy2 ,:]eas ! 
exp]i5ce ( swe>+ to uphold an           
uncompromis+ oa? ( integrity :ile       
actively hid+ _! sexual ori5tation _h   

significant psy*ological impacts on     
,,lgbtq s]vicememb]s1 z well z bo? long-
 & %ort-t]m m5tal & physical impacts2   
,:]eas surveys ( ,,lgbtq vet]ans t s]v$ 
"u ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell &          
pr$ecessor policies t =c$ ! concealm5t (
 ,,lgbtq id5tity reveal height5$        
in/ances ( panic attacks1 phobias1      
sub/ance abuse1 & o!r m5tal heal?       
conditions1 includ+ a height5$ risk (   
suicide1 indep5d5t ( already-exi/+      
combat & s]vice-relat$ m5tal heal?      
risks2 ,:]eas female memb]s ( ! ,arm$   
,=ces 7 p>ticul>ly impact$ by ,don't    
,ask1 ,don't ,tell1 & 9 #bjjg1 wom5     
compris$ only ab\t #ae p]c5t ( milit>y  
p]sonnel b ne>ly #ej p]c5t ( ! dis*>ges 
"u ! policy1 likely due to ! height5$   
vuln]ability ( wom5 9 ! milit>y to      
sexual h>assm5t & ! subsequ5t           
retaliation ( h>ass]s aga9/ wom52 ,:]eas
 _m s]vicememb]s :o 7 dis*>g$ "u ,don't 
,ask1 ,don't ,tell receiv$ dis*>ge      
pap]work1 kn[n z ,,dd ,=m #bad1 )       
/igmatiz+ & id5tify+ codes indicat+     

homosexuality z ! reason = sep>ation1   
record$ on ! same pap]work t is us$ to  
scre5 vet]ans = employm5t1 access       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs b5efits & 
s]vices1 & det]m9e eligibility =        
re5li/m5t1 mean+ t vet]ans c\ld /ill    
face discrim9ation & be d5i$ access to  
^! opportunities long aft] leav+ !      
milit>y2 ,:]eas !re are c\ntless        
individual impacts t result$ f ,don't   
,ask1 ,don't ,tell :i* _c be easily     
quantifi$ or categoriz$1 includ+ !      
/resses ( ma9ta9+ secrecy ) heal? c>e   
provid]s & law en=cem5t1 isolation or   
ali5ation f pe]s1 & p]si/5t fe> (       
discov]y1 to "n a few common exp]i5ces2 
,:]eas1 by ! nature ( ! policy1 !re 0 no
 me*anism by :i* an active s]vicememb]  
c\ld op5ly prote/1 give te/imony1 or    
o!rwise publicly speak ab\t _! exp]i5ce 
s]v+ "u ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell )\t   
risk+ inve/igation & dis*>ge2 ,:]eas    
,,lgbtq memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces none!less
 demon/rat$ great resili5cy & c\rage1   
creat+ und]gr\nd networks to (f] support

 to "o ano!r & cov]tly supply+ anonym\s 
in=mation on ,,lgbtq exp]i5ces 9 !      
milit>y to ,p5tagon rese>*]s = ! #bjaj  
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se report t outl9$ !   
pa? to repeal2 ,:]eas1 aft] ne>ly two   
decades ( activism & advocacy1 ! ,don't 
,ask1 ,don't ,tell ,repeal ,act ( #bjaj 
0 sign$ on ,decemb] #bb1 #bjaj1 by      
,presid5t ,b>ack ,obama2 & ,:]eas !     
,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell repeal 0      
c]tifi$ to comply ) ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se 
recomm5dations & /&>ds on ,july #bb1    
#bjaa1 & took effect #fj days lat] on   
,septemb] #bj1 #bjaa3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  
,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7     
recognizes ! deep & la/+ h>m caus$ by ! 
policy kn[n z ,don't ,ask1 ,don't ,tell1
 ,don't ,pursue1 z well z o!r policies (
 ! ,arm$ ,=ces t _h an adv]se &         
prejudicial impact on its memb]s2  7#b7 
commemorates ! repeal ( ,don't ,ask1    
,don't ,tell z a day 9 :i* memb]s ( !   
milit>y1 reg>dless ( _! sexual          
ori5tation1 7 free to s]ve op5ly & to be
 honor$ = _! s]vice )\t caveat2 &  7#c7 

reaffirms its commitm5t to honor !      
s]vice ( all memb]s ( ! milit>y1 bo? =m]
 & curr5t1 reg>dless ( _! g5d] id5tity  
or sexual ori5tation1 & cont9ue work+ to
 fo/] inclusion & div]sity 9 ! ,arm$    
,=ces4