Now that Congress has approved repeal of the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces, a Wisconsin congresswoman is urging the Defense Department to reconsider the less-than-honorable discharges issued to some soldiers under the policy.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat, said veterans who had received “other than honorable” discharges because they are gay were being unfairly barred from access to medical care and other military benefits.

“Even after we have ceremoniously repealed ‘don’t’ ask, don’t tell,’ we know there are still consequences,” Ms. Moore said in a statement to The Caucus. “For some gays and lesbians, the policy might as well have been – don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t provide veterans the benefits they earned.”

Aides to Ms. Moore said that most of the people expelled from the military under the policy, which was in place for 17 years, received honorable discharges. But some did not, they said. In addition to preventing them from receiving some benefits, their status could also mean that they cannot re-enlist when the policy is officially repealed.

The letter, and a similar one to Eric Shinseki, the secretary of veterans affairs, will be sent Thursday. The Pentagon is still writing its final regulations to replace the policy.