Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan says he would
support reinstating “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”
Thursday, September 20 is the first
anniversary of repeal of the military policy which for 18 years
banned gay and bisexual troops from serving openly.
Jordan made his remarks in an interview
with progressive blog ThinkProgress.org at the Values Voter Summit on
Friday.
“Is ['Don't Ask, Don't Tell']
something that you think the GOP will pursue reinstating starting in
2013 if they take control?” Think Progress' Scott Keyes asked.
“I wasn't for making the change that
was made last few years ago in the lame duck session,” said
Jordan, a Republican. “I was certainly opposed to that, the
change that the Obama administration made. We'll look at guidance
from our military, but I'm certainly supportive of going back to the
previous policy.”
Early in the campaign to capture the
GOP nomination for president, Mitt Romney said he would support
reinstating the ban. He later backtracked, saying he was only
opposed
to making the change during war time.
Earlier this month, Republican Senators
Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Roger Wicker of Mississippi introduced a
bill which would bar gay and lesbian couples from marrying on a
military base and protect military chaplains who object to such
unions from being “forced” to perform a ceremony.
(Related: Barbara
Walters to host celebration marking first anniversary of DADT
repeal.)