1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to support the women who protect our nation by becoming a co-sponsor of the WARRIOR Act (HR 8175/S 5189). Our military leaders have recognized that women – who now make up 18% of the military – are an essential part of our armed forces. Over the past ten years, more than 5,000 women have served in ground combat roles. They have met the same gender-neutral occupational standards as men and have contributed equally to mission success. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense appears ready to turn back the clock so that service women will no longer be able to serve in ground combat roles. The WARRIOR Act would prevent this by prohibiting the exclusion of women from ground combat roles and strengthening congressional oversight of any changes to performance standards. The service women who defend our country by serving in ground combat roles deserve your – and the entire Congress's – support, which is why I'm reaching out today. Congress must ensure that merit guides the Department of Defense's decision-making, not politics or outdated stereotypes. I'm asking you to please co-sponsor and help pass the WARRIOR Act to ensure that the ground combat ban is never reinstated and that the Department of Defense does not obstruct women's ability to serve in combat roles.