Senate to take up DADT tonight; procedural measure expected to fail

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will “likely” force a procedural vote late this afternoon to take up a bill that contains the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

But Democrats are unlikely to get the 60 votes they need to start debate on the Defense Authorization measure that addresses the 17-year old ban on gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

“It won't happen,” a Republican leadership aide flatly told NBC News.

This morning on the Senate floor, Reid said, "I'm likely going to move to my motion to reconsider on the Defense Authorization Act this evening." If the vote happens, it would follow a series of votes currently scheduled to begin at 4pm ET.

But Republicans, who have vowed to block any bill except legislation to extend the Bush era tax cuts or fund government operations from coming to the floor, are expected to filibuster the measure.

In a letter last week signed by all 42 Republicans, GOP leader Mitch McConnell wrote that his caucus “will not agree to (allow debate on) any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers.”

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/08/5611739-senate-to-take-up-dadt-tonight-procedural-measure-expected-to-fail

[jimmydwight]

1. Idiots

What's the matter with these idiots?