WASHINGTON, DC – The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Secreatary of Defense Robert Gates wants the Senate to quickly move ahead with repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” during the lame duck session. Gates was not optimistic that the Senate would pass the National Defense Authorization Act which includes a DADT repeal. Gates also feels that if action isn’t taken immediately, there will be less chance of repeal once the new Congressional session begins in January 2011.
Support for repealing DADT came from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani who spoke on CNN saying that since the Republicans now have the majority in House, the new majority should not add roadblocks in front of advances in LGBT equality, particularly in ending DADT. “I didn’t see [Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell] as a big issue in [the election],” Giuliani said. “The social issues were not in this election. So maybe that’s an area where Republican can ease up a little bit.”
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