By Lisa Keen on May 28, 2010
The U.S. House voted 234 to 194 Thursday night to approve a compromise amendment that many believe will—with some conditions—eventually lead to the end of the military’s policy of discharging gay servicemembers.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 27, 2010
The Murphy Amendment seeking repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy is slated to come up near the end of the House’s consideration this week of the annual defense authorization bill.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 26, 2010
A measure to repeal the 16-year-old federal law excluding openly gay people from the military started up the Congressional ladder this week—with a reluctant nod from the White House and a controversial rewrite.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News, Politics
By Chuck Colbert on May 22, 2010
Leaders of gay civil rights groups and LGBT veterans organizations are optimistic about the next two-week time period, one that may well determine whether Congress moves forward this year to repeal the federal statute commonly referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” that has banned openly gay people from the military for nearly 17 years.
But that is despite some disappointments.
Posted in A closer look, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News
By Lisa Keen on May 19, 2010
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reassured representatives of several LGBT organizations this week that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and a measure to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) will get votes this year.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, ENDA, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 5, 2010
Wording is everything in politics. What is not said can sometimes be more important than what is said, and what is said can be subjected to a multitude of interpretations that transform a simple sentence into a powerful new expectation.
Such has been the case with this statement, made by President Barack Obama in January during his State of the Union speech: “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country.”
He did not say that he and Congress would “repeal the law this year.” He said he would work with Congress on it this year.
Posted in A closer look, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on March 26, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has repeatedly said he wants his working group on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to discuss the plan to repeal the policy with service members and their families to get their views. But Gates, on Thursday, began showing some toughness against views within the military that oppose President Obama’s directive that the military dismantle the policy.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News, News Briefs
By Lisa Keen on March 25, 2010
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates today unveiled the Pentagon’s plan for making enforcement of the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy “more humane and fair.”
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News
By Lisa Keen on March 9, 2010
Google “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and you’ll get more than 2 million links. Add the word “repeal” to the search, and you’ll get about half a million. Add the words “this year,” and you’re down to 135,000.
That’s probably a good illustration of how the actual repeal process is going these days: Lots of people are talking about it, but the chances for success this year rely on a lot more things converging just so, and not too much.
Posted in A closer look, Campaigns, Don't Ask Don't Tell, House, Issues, News, Politics, Senate
By Chuck Colbert on February 3, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen told a Senate committee they have appointed a high-level working group to report on how the military can adapt should Congress choose to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 29, 2010
President Obama side-stepped a question Thursday about what he’s doing “now” to ensure that gay couples “are treated as equal citizens,” but there was a signal from the Pentagon that same day that movement may be coming on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on January 28, 2010
Gay leaders offered only a lukewarm reception Wednesday night for President Obama’s statement, in his State of the Union address, that he would work for the repeal of the military’s discriminatory policy against gays.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on December 10, 2009
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) introduced an amendment this month to help combat the military’s “Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell” policy, but no openly gay member of Congress has signed on.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
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