Due Date: 9/28
Debate is Blocked on Don’t Ask, Don’t TellNo Progress for Bill
by Andrew Pooch
A recent vote in the Senate has put a hold on a bill that would repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The policy to allow gays to openly serve in the military has been blocked, but has left the door open for a vote in the future.
The effort to lift the ban needed 60 votes from the senate to pass. The side for repeal only got 56 votes. The republicans voted unanimously to block the bill. They also managed to swing a few democratic votes in their favor as well. President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have both said that they would like to see the policy repealed.
The ruling disturbed supporters of gay rights. Many expressed emotion to the fact that people are being singled out from serving their country. “It ought to go,” said Joseph I. Lieberman, Independent of Connecticut. “It’s un-American. It’s inconsistent with our best values of equal opportunity, who can get the job done, not what your private life is about.”
Some voters changed their vote at the last minute. The strategy behind this was not blocking it for good, but just delaying it for now. With the delay, Democrats will work to make amendments to the bill. One proposed amendment would be beneficial for the Democrats and maneuvers to block Republicans.
Democrats created amendments to attach to the bill such as immigration measures that would give citizenship to certain illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. Another policy is to have a more open debate on the Senate floor.
“There are many controversial issues in this bill,” said Susan Collins, a republican senator from Maine. They deserve to have a civil, fair, and open debate on the Senate floor and that is why I am so disappointed… the majority leader apparently intends to shut down the debate and exclude Republicans from offering a number of amendments.”
This important bill may be easier to move come December. The problem right now is the partisan fight for power in the Senate with the elections right around the corner. Aubrey Sarvis of the Service Members Legal Defense Network, a gay and lesbian advocacy group said, “The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once midterm elections are behind us."
This policy has been a big issue in Congress and keeps getting delayed to benefit each party. After the election in November, there will be new Senators that will be faced with voting in this big decision. The policy has potential to be repealed before 2011 if each party can agree on amendments to the policy.
Sources: NY Times Friday September 24, 2010
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