Gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender activists and civil liberties groups are rejoicing over the Department of Justice’s decision not to appeal a nearly $500,000 award to an ex-Special Forces colonel from Alexandria who lost a job at the Library of Congress a few years ago after reveling that he was undergoing a sex change.

David Schroer had already accepted an offer to become the Congressional Research Service’s terrorism specialist when he revealed plans to begin the new post as Diane Schroer. Library officials swiftly rescinded their offer. Schroer teamed up with the American Civil Liberties Union and filed a sex discrimination lawsuit in 2005. A federal judge in Washington awarded Schroer $491,190 earlier this year. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice let the deadline pass for appealing the decision.