Final DADT Vote At 3 PM Today

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Senate to hold final vote on 'don't ask, don't tell,' DREAM Act fails

Posted: December 18th, 2010 -- 12:49 PM ET

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CNN Wire Staff


Washington (CNN) -- The Senate will hold a final vote on "don't ask, don't tell" at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Earlier Saturday, the Senate voted 63-33 to proceed to a final vote to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy which bans openly gay people from serving in the armed forces.

President Barack Obama called the advancing of the "don't ask, don't tell" repeal toward a final vote a "historic step toward ending the controversial policy."

"It is time to close this chapter in our history," Obama said.

Six Republicans crossed party lines to vote for the bill, which is supported by Democrats and Obama. A simple majority will pass the Senate bill to repeal "don't ask, don't tell."

Following the 3 p.m. vote, the Senate will consider an amendment from Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, on START, a nuclear arms treaty with Russia.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also announced that the Senate will be in session Sunday afternoon to continue the START debate.

Just before the "don't ask, don't tell" vote, a bill that would have offered a path to citizenship to some illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children failed a similar procedural vote.

Known formally as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, the DREAM Act fell five votes short of the 60 needed to be considered for final passage.

Obama said Saturday that the failure of the Senate to move the DREAM Act forward was "incredibly disappointing."

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to repeal "don't ask, don't tell," 250-175. Passage of the legislation in the Senate would be a political victory for Obama and the Democrats.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, George Voinovich of Ohio, and Scott Brown of Massachusetts voted to advance the measure.

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who co-sponsored the legislation that would repeal the policy, said Friday that Republican senators supporting the bill had "shown courage."

Lieberman said that the bill's co-sponsors had worked closely with the Defense Department in crafting its language.

But Pentagon officials are warning gay and lesbian soldiers that the current law will temporarily remain in place if the bill passes as they review the legal technicalities of the repeal.

A guidance memo would be sent to military personnel informing them of the change, which would remain in effect for at least 60 days after it is signed into law, Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said.

Conservative Republicans have argued that, among other things, a repeal would place an unreasonable burden on the military at a time when it is facing severe strains in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The Senate is convening this weekend to finish up matters at hand before the lame-duck congressional session ends.

The DREAM Act would have offered legal standing to immigrants who entered the United States illegally as children under the age of 16 and have lived in the country for at least five years.

Other requirements included graduating from high school or obtaining a GED diploma and demonstrating "good moral character."

Even then, only a six-year conditional status would be awarded. Before moving to the next phase, the students would need to meet additional requirements -- attending college or serving in the military for at least two years, and passing criminal background checks.