Deal Reached for Ending Law on Gays in Military
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
NYT
WASHINGTON — The White House and leading Congressional Democrats reached agreement Monday on legislative language and a time frame for repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but it was not clear whether the deal had secured the votes necessary to pass the House and Senate.
Under the deal, lawmakers could vote soon to repeal the contentious 17-year-old policy, which bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed services; the House Democratic leaders are considering taking up the measure as soon as this week. But the policy would not change until sometime after Dec. 1, when the Pentagon completes a review of its readiness to deal with the new policy. President Obama would also be required to certify that repeal would not harm military readiness.
If it passed, the measure could clear the way for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military as early next year, ending a policy that Mr. Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, all say they oppose.
Representative Patrick J. Murphy, Democrat of Pennsylvania and a leading advocate in the House for repeal, is planning to introduce the proposal Tuesday morning, with the aim of attaching it to a defense authorization bill that will come up for a vote later this week, officials said.
(More here.)
NYT
WASHINGTON — The White House and leading Congressional Democrats reached agreement Monday on legislative language and a time frame for repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but it was not clear whether the deal had secured the votes necessary to pass the House and Senate.
Under the deal, lawmakers could vote soon to repeal the contentious 17-year-old policy, which bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed services; the House Democratic leaders are considering taking up the measure as soon as this week. But the policy would not change until sometime after Dec. 1, when the Pentagon completes a review of its readiness to deal with the new policy. President Obama would also be required to certify that repeal would not harm military readiness.
If it passed, the measure could clear the way for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military as early next year, ending a policy that Mr. Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, all say they oppose.
Representative Patrick J. Murphy, Democrat of Pennsylvania and a leading advocate in the House for repeal, is planning to introduce the proposal Tuesday morning, with the aim of attaching it to a defense authorization bill that will come up for a vote later this week, officials said.
(More here.)
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