Senate Armed Services Committee forwards Eric Fanning nomination to full Senate

(Washington, DC - March 10, 2016) – This morning the United States Senate Armed Services Committee backed the nomination of Eric Fanning to be Secretary of the Army on Thursday and forwarded the recommendation to the full Senate for a final vote.

In a statement, Matt Thorn, Executive Director for OutServe-SLDN stated:

"After almost 6 months, Mr. Fanning has finally been granted one of the two votes required for confirmation as Secretary of the Army. This morning the Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to forward the recommendation of Eric Fanning to the be Secretary of the Army to the full Senate.

Mr. Fanning’s credentials for this position are unimpeachable. He was nominated for his extensive 25 plus year career within the Department of Defense and the knowledge that he possess about military policy and national security. From his service as the deputy undersecretary and deputy chief management officer for the Department of the Navy, deputy director of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism to most recently serving as the Under Secretary of the Air Force, acting U.S. Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense his preparedness for this role could not be higher.

Recently, OutServe-SLDN sent a letter and petition with over 680 signatories to Senator Roberts (R-KS) who still has a hold on a full floor vote for the nomination of Mr. Fanning to be Secretary of the Army. OutServe-SLDN will continue to work with our Senate allies, and petition Senator Roberts, for a confirmation vote on the Senate floor. We urge the Senate to move to confirm Eric Fanning quickly. We are far past the time for a confirmation vote.

Our service members are risking their lives to serve and protect our country and should be afforded the respect of having a Secretary who will advocate for them, think about their needs and serve them the way that they serve our country. "

OutServe-SLDN (OS-SLDN) is the largest non-profit, legal services, advocacy and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. With more than fifty chapters and 60,000 subscribers around the world, OS-SLDN supports a professional network of LGBT military personnel and strives to create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.