By a 16-12 vote, the Senate Armed Services Committee has approved the Levin-Lieberman Amendment. The amendment begins the process of dismantling the 17-year-old "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prohibits gays and serving openly in the military. This is the first time Congress has ever attempted to repeal the ban in its nearly 17 year history.
The roll call is AFTER THE JUMP ....
The language was submitted by SASC Chairman Carl Levin (MI) and Joseph Lieberman (CT) as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The measure allows Congress to vote now to repeal the current law, but, actual implementation begins after completion of the Pentagon Working Group study due December 1 and upon certification. Since the amendment has passed committee, it would require 60 votes to strip repeal from the bill during the floor debate. Background HERE and HERE.
Susan Collins of Maine was the sole Republican on the panel to approve the measure. Virginia's Jim Webb was the only Democrat to vote against it. The vote was held in closed session. Fifteen votes were needed for passage.
Rep. Patrick Murphy will offer similar language as an amendment to the NDAA on the House floor later tonight or tomorrow. Murphy and Speaker Nancy Pelosi expect the amendment to pass.
UPDATE: The House is debating now. Watch CSPAN1 or Houselive.gov.
The roll call is AFTER THE JUMP ....
Yes:
Carl Levin (Michigan)
Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia)
Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut)
Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Evan Bayh (Indiana)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Udall (Colorado)
Kay R. Hagan (North Carolina)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Roland W. Burris (Illinois)
Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico)
Edward E. Kaufman (Delaware)
Susan M. Collins (Maine)
No:
Jim Webb (Virginia)
John McCain (Arizona)
James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma)
Jeff Sessions (Alabama)
Saxby Chambliss (Georgia)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
John Thune (South Dakota)
Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi)
George S. LeMieux (Florida)
Scott Brown (Massachusetts)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
David Vitter voted against the repeal of DADT because he believes being gay is a sin, and he doesn’t want any sinners in the military killing anybody.
Rep. Vitter really didn’t hold an opinion one way or another about gay folks. That is, until his good friend in New Orleans, Ms. Amanda (aka The Begonia of The Treme), convinced him that being gay was truly a sin, seeing how as it was bad for business.
Posted by: Jim | 28 May 2010 at 00:13
David Vitter voted against the repeal of DADT because he believes being gay is a sin, and he doesn’t want any sinners in the military killing anybody.
Rep. Vitter really didn’t hold an opinion one way or another about gay folks. That is, until his good friend in New Orleans, Ms. Amanda (aka The Begonia of The Treme), convinced him that being gay was truly a sin, seeing how as it was bad for business.
Posted by: Jim | 28 May 2010 at 00:18