BF2S Forums Don't Ask Don't Tell lifted

WASHINGTON -- After two failed attempts, Senate Democrats cleared the way Saturday for passage of a landmark bill that would end the Clinton-era ban on gays serving openly in the military and mark a major triumph for President Obama, liberals and the gay community.

In an unusual weekend session, senators voted 63-33 to advance a bill ending the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

The repeal, which passed the House this week, could win final passage by Saturday afternoon. The Senate plans to vote at 3 p.m.

Obama praised the Senate, saying the policy undermines U.S. national security and violates "the very ideals" that members of the armed services risk their lives to defend.

Ending the ban will mean that "thousands of patriotic Americans" won't be forced to leave the military "despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay," Obama said.

Many thousands more won't be "asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love," he said.

Democrats won support from six Republicans to advance the bill: Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, George Voinovich of Ohio and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine.

Voinovich said in a statement that he had vowed to keep an open mind until the release earlier this month of the Pentagon's report on the impact of overturning the ban.

"Having reviewed the report, I accept its findings and Secertary Gates' recommendation and reassurance that the repeal will be implemented when the battle effectiveness of our forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed," he said.

Supporters of repealing the ban applauded the procedural vote.

"This vote today marks a critical step toward creating a path that could end in lesbian, gay and bisexual people finally being able to serve openly, honestly, and to great benefit of our country," said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"The Senate is on the precipice of history today and we encourage it to do the right thing and finally repeal this unconstitutional policy," said Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington legislative office.

With opposition from Republicans weakening, passage would deliver a  resounding victory to Obama, who made repeal of the 17-year-old law a campaign promise in 2008.

It also would be a win for congressional Democrats who have struggled in the final hours of the lame-duck session to overcome Republican objections, and for gay rights groups who said Saturday's vote was their best shot at changing the law because a new GOP-dominated Congress will take control in January.

Repeal would mean that for the first time in U.S. history, gays would be openly accepted by the military and could acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out. More than 13,500 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law.

Under the bill, the president and his top military advisers -- the defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- are required to certify to Congress that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' ability to fight. After that, 60 days must pass before any changes go into effect.

The House approved the bill earlier this week by a 250-174 vote.

A small but vocal group of Republicans led by Sen. John McCain of Arizona said the law shouldn't be changed during wartime.

"We send these young people into combat," said McCain. "We think they're mature enough to fight and die. I think they're mature enough to make a judgment on who they want to serve with and the impact on their battle effectiveness."

The Democratic push for repeal was strengthened by the release of a major Pentagon study that concluded gays could serve openly without affecting combat effectiveness. The assessment found that two-thirds of troops predicted little impact if the law is repealed.

But the chiefs of the Army and Marine Corps warned Congress that repeal could pose serious problems if the law is overturned when troops are still fighting in Afghanistan.


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