Senate boss Harry Reid, pictured at right, says that before his majority shrinks, he intends to push ahead with a vote that could potentially allow gays to serve openly in the military. The measure is currently tied to a defense authorization bill that Reid plans to bring up during the lame duck session.

New York Times:

In a direct challenge to Republicans who support the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, said he would push ahead with a military policy bill that includes language authorizing the Pentagon to repeal the ban.

Senator John McCain of Arizona, the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, led his colleagues in blocking consideration of the bill in September in part because it allowed the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Mr. McCain has not changed his position, and Democrats had been considering stripping the provision to advance the legislation.

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