Senate votes to end 'don't ask, don't tell'

[celticspride34]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/18/senate.dadt/index.html?hpt=T1
http://www.cnn.com/2010/P...e.dadt/index.html?hpt=T1

Bout $#%*@*% time. You are basically telling people that you want them to die for the country, but if they are gay, need not apply. I just don't understand why people care what a person does in their own personal life.

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Senate voted Saturday 65 to 31 to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans openly gay people from serving in the armed forces.

With House of Representatives legislators having voted similarly Wednesday, the bill now goes to the desk of President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it.

Earlier Saturday, the lame-duck Senate session invoked cloture, meaning it cut off or limited debate on the socially historic and controversial legislation, by a vote of 63 to 33, paving the way for the final vote.

At least 60 votes were required to overcome the procedural hurdle. Republicans can seek 30 hours of post-cloture debate, but it was not immediately clear whether they would pursue that.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the ban 250 to 175, and the 63 votes would easily pave the way for Senate passage of the bill.

Saying it's "time to close this chapter in our history," President Barack Obama called the move a "historic step" toward ending the policy that denied the "service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay."

"I am also absolutely convinced that making this change will only underscore the professionalism of our troops as the best led and best trained fighting force the world has ever known," said Obama, who thanked pro-repeal senators for their work.

"It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly," he said. "I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law."

Supporters of the repeal hugged and shook hands in the corridor off the Senate floor, a celebratory mood for a Democratic caucus that will face tougher times when the new Congress convenes next year.

"Today, America lived up to its highest ideals of freedom and equality. Congress recognized that all men and women have the right to openly serve their country," said Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign -- a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights group. "Plenty of people had already planned the funeral for this legislation. Today, we pulled out a victory from what was almost certain defeat just a few days ago. We are grateful to President Obama, Majority Leader Reid and Sens. Lieberman, Collins and countless others for their dogged determination to repeal DADT."

The executive director of Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops, lauded the cloture vote as a "historic step forward for this country" and "very likely be a life-changing moment for gay and lesbian troops."

Alexander Nicholson, a former multi-lingual Army interrogator discharged under the policy, said there's still "a long road ahead, citing "a final passage vote, the certification process, and a yet-to-be-determined implementation period."

But, he said, "those who defend our freedom while living in fear for their careers will finally breathe a sigh of relief tonight, and those who have fallen victim to this policy in years past will finally begin to see true closure and redemption on the horizon."

Passage of the legislation in the Senate would be a political victory for Obama and the Democrats, who have called for a repeal.

The Democrats have sought Republican support for overturning the ban, and six of them voted to invoke cloture: Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, and George Voinovich of Ohio.

Pentagon officials have warned gay and lesbian soldiers that the current law will temporarily remain in place if the bill passes as they review the legal technicalities of the repeal.

A guidance memo would be sent to military personnel informing them of the change, which would remain in effect for at least 60 days after it is signed into law, Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said.

Proponents of the repeal say the current policy is discriminatory and counter-productive because thousands of service members, from linguists to troops, have been removed under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Voinovich indicated he made up his mind after the release of the Defense Department's report earlier this month on the policy.

"Having reviewed the report, I accept its findings and Secretary Gates' recommendation and reassurance that the repeal will be implemented when the battle effectiveness of our forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed."

He said the repeal "will be implemented in a common sense way" and "our military leaders have assured Congress that our troops will engage in training and address relevant issues before instituting this policy change."

Opponents say the repeal will scrap a good policy and will hurt the military's performance.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-South Carolina, cited the Marine Corps commandant as saying he believes that "changing this policy this way would cause distraction among the Marine Corps to the point that he is worried about increased casualties."

"Let's hope he's wrong," Graham said Saturday, "but you've got to ask yourself is he crazy to say that? Is he the kind of man who would make such a chilling statement without having thought about it? My advice to my colleagues is that the Marine Corps commandant is a serious man who is telling this body and this nation that repeal as being envisioned today could compromise focus on the battlefield, and we are in two wars."

 

[celticspride34]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/18/senate.dadt/index.html?hpt=T1
http://www.cnn.com/2010/P...e.dadt/index.html?hpt=T1

Bout $#%*@*% time. You are basically telling people that you want them to die for the country, but if they are gay, need not apply. I just don't understand why people care what a person does in their own personal life.

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Senate voted Saturday 65 to 31 to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans openly gay people from serving in the armed forces.

With House of Representatives legislators having voted similarly Wednesday, the bill now goes to the desk of President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it.

Earlier Saturday, the lame-duck Senate session invoked cloture, meaning it cut off or limited debate on the socially historic and controversial legislation, by a vote of 63 to 33, paving the way for the final vote.

At least 60 votes were required to overcome the procedural hurdle. Republicans can seek 30 hours of post-cloture debate, but it was not immediately clear whether they would pursue that.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the ban 250 to 175, and the 63 votes would easily pave the way for Senate passage of the bill.

Saying it's "time to close this chapter in our history," President Barack Obama called the move a "historic step" toward ending the policy that denied the "service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay."

"I am also absolutely convinced that making this change will only underscore the professionalism of our troops as the best led and best trained fighting force the world has ever known," said Obama, who thanked pro-repeal senators for their work.

"It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly," he said. "I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law."

Supporters of the repeal hugged and shook hands in the corridor off the Senate floor, a celebratory mood for a Democratic caucus that will face tougher times when the new Congress convenes next year.

"Today, America lived up to its highest ideals of freedom and equality. Congress recognized that all men and women have the right to openly serve their country," said Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign -- a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights group. "Plenty of people had already planned the funeral for this legislation. Today, we pulled out a victory from what was almost certain defeat just a few days ago. We are grateful to President Obama, Majority Leader Reid and Sens. Lieberman, Collins and countless others for their dogged determination to repeal DADT."

The executive director of Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops, lauded the cloture vote as a "historic step forward for this country" and "very likely be a life-changing moment for gay and lesbian troops."

Alexander Nicholson, a former multi-lingual Army interrogator discharged under the policy, said there's still "a long road ahead, citing "a final passage vote, the certification process, and a yet-to-be-determined implementation period."

But, he said, "those who defend our freedom while living in fear for their careers will finally breathe a sigh of relief tonight, and those who have fallen victim to this policy in years past will finally begin to see true closure and redemption on the horizon."

Passage of the legislation in the Senate would be a political victory for Obama and the Democrats, who have called for a repeal.

The Democrats have sought Republican support for overturning the ban, and six of them voted to invoke cloture: Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, and George Voinovich of Ohio.

Pentagon officials have warned gay and lesbian soldiers that the current law will temporarily remain in place if the bill passes as they review the legal technicalities of the repeal.

A guidance memo would be sent to military personnel informing them of the change, which would remain in effect for at least 60 days after it is signed into law, Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said.

Proponents of the repeal say the current policy is discriminatory and counter-productive because thousands of service members, from linguists to troops, have been removed under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Voinovich indicated he made up his mind after the release of the Defense Department's report earlier this month on the policy.

"Having reviewed the report, I accept its findings and Secretary Gates' recommendation and reassurance that the repeal will be implemented when the battle effectiveness of our forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed."

He said the repeal "will be implemented in a common sense way" and "our military leaders have assured Congress that our troops will engage in training and address relevant issues before instituting this policy change."

Opponents say the repeal will scrap a good policy and will hurt the military's performance.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-South Carolina, cited the Marine Corps commandant as saying he believes that "changing this policy this way would cause distraction among the Marine Corps to the point that he is worried about increased casualties."

"Let's hope he's wrong," Graham said Saturday, "but you've got to ask yourself is he crazy to say that? Is he the kind of man who would make such a chilling statement without having thought about it? My advice to my colleagues is that the Marine Corps commandant is a serious man who is telling this body and this nation that repeal as being envisioned today could compromise focus on the battlefield, and we are in two wars."

 

[celticspride34]

Typical NT

 

[celticspride34]

Typical NT

 

[jsmilez]

Republicans are a bunch of foot-draggers. I'm glad it was repealed, but I don't feel too happy about the Dream Act dying.

 

[jsmilez]

Republicans are a bunch of foot-draggers. I'm glad it was repealed, but I don't feel too happy about the Dream Act dying.

 

[rashi]

You are basically telling people that you want them to die for the country, but if they are gay, need not apply.


I'm against DADT, but that's not what it says.

 

[rashi]

You are basically telling people that you want them to die for the country, but if they are gay, need not apply.


I'm against DADT, but that's not what it says.