DADT Repeal Advocates Brave Snow to Continue Pressure Campaign on Senate

"OPERATION RENEWED ENGAGEMENT" Enters Second Day,

Seventy-One Senate Offices Targeted Again

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12/16/2010

Contact:

Jarrod Chlapowski: 252.721.8152 | Email: jchlapowski@servicemembersunited.org

Alex Nicholson: 202.531.4839 | Email: anicholson@servicemembersunited.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, announced today that, for a second day in a row, teams of DADT repeal advocates have fanned out across Capitol Hill as part of the Servicemembers United Action Fund's "OPERATION RENEWED ENGAGEMENT." The campaign is geared toward raising visibility for the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" issue on Capitol Hill in the waning days of the lame duck session and toward pressuring Senate offices that are supportive of repeal to also support staying in session long enough to let the issue get a final vote.

"Despite the ongoing snow storm in Washington, DC right now, gay veterans and allies are storming the Hill for a second day in a row to demand that the Senate finish the job on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' before leaving for the holidays," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and the Servicemembers United Action Fund. "The fact that these advocates are braving the snow to fight for what they believe in should demonstrate that we will not accept any excuses from lawmakers for failing to get this done, including bad weather or time running out."

Repeal supporters will be on the Hill for one final day on Friday as part of this campaign. Those interested in joining OPERATION RENEWED ENGAGEMENT on Friday, December 17th from 1:00pm - 4:00pm should contact Jarrod Chlapowski at jchlapowski@servicemembersunited.org today.

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Servicemembers United Action Fund, a non-profit and non-partisan organization,  engages in lobbying, grassroots organizing, and advocacy on issues affecting the gay military, veteran, and defense community.