Democratic senators called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) a threat to national security and vowed to vote to repeal the policy in the lame-duck session at a press conference held by independent Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who caucuses with the Democrats, Thursday.
“There is no way that we can win the war on terror if we are fettering away so much talent that is absolutely key to getting into those parts of the world that represent the greatest threats to American well-being,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, at the press conference.
Undecided senators are awaiting a report by the military, to be released December 1, expected to shed some light on how to repeal DADT. A survey was sent to 400,000 U.S. service members with questions related to serving with gay, lesbian and bisexual service members over the summer.
While Congress awaits the report, senators remain on the fence about the routine defense authorization bill due to feuds over contentious add-ons such as the DREAM Act, which would give young illegal immigrants who attend college or join the military a path to citizenship, and DADT.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, promised to hold hearings on the report as soon as it is released to discuss its findings.
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, who opposes the repeal of DADT, has called for a new report to study the impact of the repeal on military units as opposed to the current report that focuses on how to repeal the bill.
Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken says awaiting a new report would just be delaying DADT’s possible repeal in the lame-duck session.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will bring up the defense bill and the repeal of DADT included after Thanksgiving.
“I suppose one of the things we are doing today is to appeal to Senator Reid and [Senate Minority Leader] McConnell to negotiate a fair and open amendment process on the department of defense authorization bill to allow it to come up,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman also said that at least two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana, “have indicated that they are prepared to vote for cloture” if the amendment process is fair.
The replacing of Illinois Sen. Roland Burris with Republican Mark Kirk suggests Democrats need two Republicans to side with them in order to break a filibuster attempt.