President Barack Obama on Wednesday
backed tentative plans to repeal “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the
1993 law that bans gay and bisexual troops from serving openly,
during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress.
Obama made his remarks during a
nationally televised news conference.
The president said that he agreed with
“the overwhelming majority of Americans” in opposing the policy.
A Pentagon study on repeal, which
includes a survey of how troops and their families feel about the
issue, is due on the president's desk on December 1. “That will
give us time to act, potentially, during the lame-duck session to
change this policy,” he said, referring to the study.
He added that ending the law should
“not be a partisan issue.”
“This is an issue, as I said, where
you've got a sizable portion of the American people squarely behind
the notion that folks who are willing to serve on our behalf should
be treated fairly and equally.”
Tony Perkins, president of the Family
Research Council (FRC), the Christian-based group that opposes
repeal, chided Obama for pressing ahead with repeal after Tuesday's
election results.
“When it comes to the homosexual
agenda, the American people could not be clearer,” Perkins said in
a statement. “The flipping of at least six state legislatures, the
defeat of three justices in Iowa who imposed same-sex 'marriage' and
the defeat of the House Member leading the charge to overturn the
current military policy are all examples of how the American people
have grown tired of the Democratic Party's adherence to an
anti-family coalition.”