The Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center is heralding the end of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, which bans gay men and women from serving openly in the military. Congress voted in December to repeal the 17 year old DADT policy; DADT officially ends on September 20.

“Despite last minute attempts by House Republican leaders to delay the lifting of DADT, the discriminatory policy will officially end on Tuesday. This is a great day for America, as the United States takes another important step in the fight for equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons,” said Sara Freid, the interim executive director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center.

“The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender population in the country has a long way to go to achieve full and complete equality in human rights. However, the ending of DADT is the elimination of one of the major civil rights violations which remains against the LGBT community,” said Freid.