Senate Repeals Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The U.S. Senate on Saturday passed legislation to end the Don't Ask, Don't Tell ban on gay and
lesbian serving in the military.

By a vote of 65-31 the legislation will be sent to President Obama, who is expected to sign the bill
next week. The House passed legislation on Thursday to end the ban.

Six Republicans broke ranks to vote if favor of ending the Clinton era ban. Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Olympia Snowe of Maine, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, George
Voinovich of Ohio, and Mark Kirk of Illinois.

The change would not immediately become effective, the legislation says that the president and his
chief military advisers must certify that lifting the ban will not harm the fighting ability of the military.
Following that there is a 60 day waiting period.

President Obama said "It is time to close this chapter in our history." It is time to recognize that
 sacrifice, valor, and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or
gender, religion or creed."

West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin did not vote, although he was an opponent of the bill.
Senator John McCain who led the opposition acknowledged moments before the vote that he did
not have enough votes to stop the bill.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996