The cloture vote on the National Defense Authorization Act — which includes the repeal of 'Don't Ask' — is likely to happen this evening if unrelated cloture votes earlier in the day fail and open up time on the Senate floor.
REID ON THE SENATE FLOOR THIS MORNING: "And I'm likely going to move to my motion to reconsider on the Defense Authorization Act this evening. Allowing, as I will indicate at that time, time for amendments to that piece of legislation."
STATEMENT BY SLDN: "We expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will try again today to take up the defense bill that includes repeal. Reid is actively reaching out to his Republican colleagues to reach an agreement on how to proceed. We also know from Hill sources the President is actively working today's vote with key Republican senators. Today the Senate has an opportunity to make the nation's defense funding and our service members a higher priority than tax cuts for millionaires," said Aubrey Sarvis, U.S. Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
THE ADVOCATE'S KERRY ELEVELD OVERNIGHT:
-- "Senate majority leader Harry Reid may bring to a vote on Wednesday the National Defense Authorization Act with "don't ask, don't tell" repeal attached, according to a Senate Democratic aide.
--"Democrats might make use of a narrow window of down time if the four bills scheduled for a vote Wednesday fail to garner the 60 votes necessary to proceed to debate. Those bills include a firefighters collective bargaining bill, the DREAM Act, a 9/11 firefighters health compensation measure, and a measure extending a one-time $250 payment to senior citizens. If all fail, the NDAA could be brought to a vote by sometime Wednesday afternoon." http://bit.ly/dXKY56
WE NOW HAVE PRYOR ( via AmericaBlog.com ) : "It is a major development. The Senate could take a vote on the Defense bill today. In September, Senator Pryor ( D-AR ) voted on the wrong side. Just last week, he told an Arkansas newspaper that he would not vote for any bill that repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell ( while also noting his belief that being gay is a sin. ) But, he's on board with DADT repeal now." http://bit.ly/fyd4gN
PRYOR STATEMENT: "On many previous occasions, I have said that I would oppose repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell until I had heard from our servicemen and women regarding this policy. I have now carefully reviewed all of the findings, reports, and testimony from our armed forces on this matter and I accept the Pentagon's recommendations to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I also accept the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs' commitment that this policy can be implemented in a manner that does not harm our military's readiness, recruitment, or retention. We have the strongest military in the world and we will continue to do so by ensuring our troops have the resources necessary to carry out their missions. Therefore, I support the 2011 Defense Authorization Act that passed the Senate Armed Services Committee and will support procedural measures to bring it to a vote this year."
ADVOCATES STILL NEED A COUPLE REPUBLICANS: Who we're watching
--Susan Collins ( R-ME ) ;
--Olympia Snowe ( R-ME ) ;
--Richard Lugar ( R-IN ) ;
--Judd Gregg ( R-NH ) ;
--Scott Brown ( R-MA ) ;
--George Voinovich ( R-OH ) ;
--Kit Bond ( R-MO ) ;
--Lisa Murkowski ( R-AK ) ;
--Mark Kirk ( R-IL ) ;
A RALLY FOR REPEAL STILL PLANNED FOR FRIDAY:
WHAT: MISSION INCOMPLETE: NO SENATE VACATION UNTIL THE TASK IS FINISHED
WHERE: Constitution Ave. and Delaware Ave., NE, Upper Senate Park, North of U.S. Capitol
WHEN: Friday, December 10, 2010, 12:00 p.m. ET
SPREAD THE WORD:
-- MISSION INCOMPLETE: NO SENATE VACATION UNTIL THE TASK IS FINISHED
--LINK TO AUTOMATICALLY UPLOAD ON FACEBOOK STATUS: http://on.fb.me/hFCbsP
--LINK TO AUTOMATICALLY UPLOAD ON TWITTER STATUS: http://bit.ly/hu6Ssh
--TWITTER HASHTAG: #4REPEAL
--SHORT LINK FOR YOUR OWN ONLINE POST: http://bit.ly/ebbDoj
WHO:
AmericaBlog
American Veterans for Equal Rights ( AVER )
Change.org
Courage Campaign
CREDO Action
DOD FED GLOBE
Echo Magazine
Equality Federation
Fairness West Virginia
Get Equal
Human Rights Campaign ( HRC )
International Foundation for Gender Education
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Knights Out
MoveOn PAC
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Stonewall Democrats
Open Left
OutServe
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays ( PFLAG ) National
People For the American Way ( PFAW )
PROMO
Proud Ally
Seattle Gay News
Service Academy Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network ( SLDN )
Swish
ThatsSoGayLIVE
VoteVets
Young Democrats of America
To add your organization please email: eas@sldn.org
THE RALLY'S MESSAGE:
--"We call upon the Senate and the President to remain in session and in Washington until the National Defense Authorization Act is passed — which includes the repeal of 'Don't Ask.' The Senate is scheduled to break for holiday vacation; we can't let them leave. We must show our rage for repeal and insist the Senate stay in Washington until they have finished the job. We implore all who support repeal to join us outside the Senate this Friday. As Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, 'If not now, when?'
--"More Americans than ever are with us in this moment. We have the Commander in Chief, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a majority of the service chiefs who support repeal. We know that 92 percent of service members are just fine working with their gay, lesbian and bisexual colleagues, according to the Pentagon report. Their attitudes mirror those of nearly 80 percent of Americans."
STILL AT RISK: "As the U.S. Senate is poised to take up repeal legislation, service members still cannot come out. A general recently approved the separation of an SLDN client serving overseas in the U.S. Air Force. This service member now faces an administrative separation board. If the discharge moves forward, the fate of the service member's career will ultimately fall to Secretary Michael B. Donley, Dept. of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson, and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel Dr. Clifford L. Stanley." Warning to service members: www.SLDN.org/StillAtRisk
