House OKs repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell'

By Gregg Zoroya and John Fritze, USA TODAYWASHINGTON — The House added momentum to efforts in the Senate to end "don't ask, don't tell" by voting Wednesday 250-175 to repeal the ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military."Congress must act quickly," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "It is my hope that we will encourage the Senate to take long overdue action."

Republican opponents countered that a repeal would harm the military's fighting ability and urged Senate Republicans to block it.

"This has been a runaway train with one ending," complained Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., slated to be the next chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in January.

It remains uncertain whether a Senate burdened with other major last-minute issues will vote on ending the ban before a Christmas recess.

The House was responding to the Senate's failure last week — by a 57-40 vote — to muster 60 votes necessary to move ahead with a defense spending bill that included a provision to lift the ban on openly gay troops serving in the military.

More than 60 senators have since shown a willingness to support a stand-alone bill repealing the law. But the Senate agenda is filled with other major proposals, including government spending and ratification of a nuclear weapons treaty with Russia.

Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, praised the House vote and urged their colleagues to follow suit. President Obama said after the vote that repeal "is not only the right thing to do, it will also give our military the clarity and certainty it deserves.

"We must ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally by their country," he said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman and Navy Adm. Michael Mullen support a repeal. But opponents pointed to the chiefs of the Marines and Army, who have reservations.

Marine Corps Gen. James Amos said Tuesday he opposes the repeal, which he said might cost Marine lives because serving with openly gay men would be a "distraction" on the battlefield. Gen. George Casey, Army chief of staff, warned that repeal during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan poses a risk to combat readiness.

Seventy percent of troops who responded to a Pentagon questionnaire said allowing openly gay servicemembers would have positive, mixed or no effect. But nearly 60% of Marines involved in direct combat said repeal would have a negative effect.

More than 13,000 servicemembers have been discharged for violating the law signed by President Clinton in 2003.

"No one has ever alleged that (gay troops) have not done their job as well as any other group," says Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. "People must demand now that we get an up-or-down vote in the Senate."

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