Wed 22 Sep 2010 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
An effort to lift the US military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy has failed in the Senate, with Democrats failing to win the 60 votes they needed to advance a defence bill that included a conditional repeal. Two Arkansas Democratic Senators, Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor joined all Republicans in opposing the measure. Neither of Maine's Republican Senators, Susan Collins or Olympia Snowe, who had been the target of a media campaign by Lady Gaga, supported advancing it. Gay rights advocates, who said they believed today's vote was the best opportunity in the foreseeable future to achieve a repeal, toldABC News they were disappointment at the vote but hope the Senate might still act after the November elections. "Time is the enemy here," said Aubrey Sarvis of the Service Members Legal Defense Network, a gay and lesbian advocacy group. "We now have no choice but to look to the lame duck session where we'll have a slim shot. The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once midterm elections are behind us." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would push for reconsideration of the legislation later this year and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman vowed "This ain't over." John McCain led Republicans in their objections to Congress acting before the Pentagon has completed a review of the impacts of changing the policy. The report is due in December. Since the Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enacted in 1993, it's seen around 13,000 men and women discharged from the military.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 22nd September 2010 - 9:43am