Dems Set To Vote Again On DADT Repeal

Senate Democrats will attempt to hold a second vote on the Defense Authorization bill, a piece of legislation that includes a provision to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” before the end of the lame duck session. “Our Defense Department supports repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ as a way to build our all-volunteer armed forces,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement Thursday. “We need to repeal this discriminatory policy so that any American who wants to defend our country can do so.” The bill will come again to the floor following Thanksgiving. The legislation failed to receive the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture when it was presented in September. Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor from Arkansas both sided with Republicans, bringing the final tally to 56-43.