Reid Pledges To Hold Senate In Session Until January 4th To Finish DADT, Other PrioritiesSpeaking to reporters this afternoon, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) practically guaranteed that he would bring Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to a vote before Congress adjourns, suggesting that the Senate would take up the measure once it passes in the House. Reid warned Republicans that he was prepared to stay in session until the new Congress is sworn in on January 4th “to complete the work we have to do here”:
REID: We have other things to do that are extremely important. We have to make sure we complete work on the DREAM Act….If the House completes work on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, we’ll have to work on that….We are going to complete the work we have to do here. I want to get out of here just as soon as we can, but we’re not going to walk away from any of the work we have to do. Christmas is a week from Saturday, I understand that, but I hope the Republicans understand that also. Because we are going to complete our work no matter how long it takes in this Congress. We have to do the work of the American people…You know, there is still Congress after Christmas. So if the Republicans think that because they can stall and stall and stall that we take a break we’re through, we’re not through. Congress ends on January 4th. So we’re going to continue working on this stuff until we get it done.The majority leader did not say precisely when he’ll bring the DADT measure to the floor — which, according to Lieberman has more than 60 votes — but said that it would be after the Senate ratifies the New START treaty, which could move as early as this evening.
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http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/12/14/reid-stay/