DADT Repeal Vote Passes 65-31
Talking Points Memo reports:
The Senate took a big step toward ending the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers today. By a vote of 63 to 33, the Senate voted to end debate on a bill repealing the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, opening the door for a final Senate vote on the standalone repeal bill passed by the House Tuesday. That means a simple majority of 51 Senators can now bring the legislative fight on repealing DADT to an end. That vote is expected to come -- and expected to succeed -- by the end of the weekend.
Voting with the majority of Democrats were Republicans Scott Brown (MA), Mark Kirk (IL) George Voinovich (OH), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Susan Collins (ME), and Olympia Snowe (ME).
The vote will likely be seen as a major political victory for President Obama, who pushed repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell on the campaign trail and set a year-long timetable for a legislative repeal of the policy in his State Of The Unionback in January. It appears he's about to get his wish.
For proponents of repeal, it's important to note that the Senate vote -- and President Obama's almost certain signature on the bill -- do not necessarily mean an immediate end to the military's ban on open homosexuality. Rather, it puts the final repeal timetable entirely on President Obama's plate. As Commander in Chief of the military, he'll work out a final repeal timetable with the Pentagon chiefs who will implement it. You can expect the groups that have been pressuring Congress to pass repeal to now turn their attention to Obama, calling on him to end DADT as soon as possible.
Update from Politico:
The Senate voted Saturday afternoon to repeal the ban on gays in the military, marking a major victory for gay rights and an end to the 17-year old "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
The bill now heads to President Barack Obama, who plans to sign it into law, overturning what repeal advocates believed was a discriminatory policy that unfairly ended the careers of thousands of gay members of the military over the years.
The 65-31 Senate vote marked a historic – and emotional – moment for the gay-rights movement and handed Obama a surprising political triumph in the closing days of the 111th Congress. The legislation had been left for dead as recently as last week after Senate Republicans blocked efforts to advance it, yet on final passage, the bill won unexpectedsupport from eight Republicans.
The repeal, which would not take effect immediately, ushers in a major cultural shift for a military that has operated under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy since the first year of Bill Clinton’s presidency.
Shortly after the final tally was announced, a handful of top White House officials, led by Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, congratulated and hugged gay-rights leaders who had gathered just off the Senate floor.
“It’s a historic moment,” said Jarrett, who had never attended a vote before. “It wouldn’t have happened without Congress obviously, the president’s leadership and so many people across the country who became engaged in the issue … Everybody played a vital role in today’s success.”
