Brody's Notes... California GOP Congressman Wants Protections For 'Straight Troops' As DADT Repeal Approaches

Representative Duncan Hunter, (R-California)
Official U. S. House Portrait

By Brody Levesque | WASHINGTON D.C. -- The California Republican lawmaker from San Diego who had participated in the GOP led efforts in the U. S. House of Representatives to derail the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell last fall, has now introduced a draft bill that would require the Defence Department to “ensure that a member of the Armed Forces under their jurisdiction is not pressured to approve of another person’s sexual conduct if that sexual conduct is contrary to the personal principles of the member.”

Representative Duncan Hunter, (R-California) a former United States Marine officer and a veteran of U. S. military combat operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, continues to lead efforts to block, modify, or derail implementation of the DADT repeal legislation. Hunter's several efforts since President Barack Obama signed the repeal into law last December have been thwarted by the U. S. Senate’s refusal to take up any legislation modifying the repeal law.

Hunter's latest attempt essentially states that while heteronormal servicemembers must legally accept the open service by Gay & Lesbians in the military, the bill would allow them to express their personal views but not disobey direct orders involving openly gay service members.

Speaking on the condition of remaining anonymous, one of Hunter's legislative aides told The Army Times; 

"We’ve heard the training is really pushing the line for people who believe homosexuality is wrong on religious and personal grounds. It is a legitimate concern, under the circumstances, with the services working on disciplinary policies for people who don’t agree with this decision.”

The military always falls in line, but that doesn't mean that the men and women who serve in its ranks should suddenly be forced to personally accept something that is contrary to their own principles,” the aide said.

The Congressman's office in Washington acknowledged that he intends to introduce his measure on Wednesday, September 7th, the first full day back at work by the House after its August summer recess. Hunter hopes to persuade the House GOP majority leadership to schedule a vote on the legislation before Tuesday, Sept. 20th, the day DADT is scheduled to officially be repealed, however a Senate source told LGBTQNation that the Senate would be unlikely to take up the measure.