'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal in the works
Written by Carrie Stone
Senate and House votes could begin Thursday on repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" law barring homosexuals from openly serving in the U.S. military.
The Senate Armed Services Committee and the House would come one day after repeal supporters said they secured the votes needed to pass the legislation out of committee, CNN reported.
Committee member Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said he would vote for the measure after he secured language that would delay the repeal for 60 days after certification of a military review by President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen.
"I did not want to blindly assent to repealing this law without giving the Congress an opportunity to re-examine the concerns of our armed forces and the manner in which they are being addressed," Byrd said.
However, the leaders of the four military branches expressed opposition to any congressional action before the military completes its review in a letter to key Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Republican Rep. Buck McKeon of California.
Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy, who co sponsored the measure in the house, has a petition up on his website. Please take a minute to sign it
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