"Do not Ask, Do not Tell" may vote this week:
Congress (AP) is headed toward landmark vote on whether to allow gay people to openly serve in the army.
The House of Representatives was expected to vote as early as Thursday on a proposal by Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat who served in the war in Iraq, that the law of 1993 known as "demand would not be canceled, do not tell."
The legislation - a compromise with the White House and agreed by the Ministry of Defence - the army would give as much time as he wants before lifting the ban.
Under the bill, the President, Defence Minister and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff first explains that the new policy will not be the military capability to fight hurt.
"We need to get this done, and we now need to get done," said Murphy.
As early as Thursday the Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to adopt a similar measure proposed by Sens Carl Levin, a Democrat, and Joe Lieberman, an independent.
Like the House, the Senate provision would be stored in a broader bill that is expected wide support for the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars to the troops to win. Supporters said this week the Senate panel had enough votes for the bill after a key holdouts announced that it would swing back.
Nelson said a provision in the bill allowing the military the power to decide on the details of policy implementation is the key to his aid, because it removes from the political process "and provides for withdrawal is" consistent with military preparedness and effectiveness. "
Advocates hoped that the momentum in the Senate would be transferred to the House, where several conservative Democrats threatened the massive defense spending bill as to oppose the withdrawal clause included.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he supports repeal, but would prefer that Congress wait to vote until he can talk to the troops and sends a path graph. A study he ordered is due on December 1.
"As Congress indicated that the Secretary is not possible, the language in the proposed amendment to accept," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary.
The service chiefs this week urged the panel not to vote until the Pentagon was a survey of military personnel on the issue to a conclusion. "The value of contemplation in the minds of the Marines and their families is that the signals to my Marines that their opinions," Marine Commandant James Conway said in a letter to Senator John McCain of Arizona, the top panel Republican.
Adm. Mike Mullen, the nation's top uniformed officer and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told graduating Air Force Academy cadets Wednesday that they need to support a changing military.
Mullen did not immediately comment on the "do not ask, do not tell" policy. But the chairman, who said that the policy wrongly forces troops lie, said service members should question convention.
"Few things are important to an organization than people who have the moral courage to the direction in which the organization is headed and then the strength of character to support whatever final decisions are made demand," said Mullen.