Senate Will Consider 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Tonight

Tonight will be a pivotal night in determining whether Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be repealed this year. Harry Reid plans to introduce a defense spending bill that includes repeal of the ban on gays in the military, though it remains unclear even now whether he's got the necessary 60 votes to block a filibuster, reports Sam Stein at the Huffington Post.

The legislative wrangling continues—Democrat Mark Pryor notably shifted course today and backed repeal—but if the measure fails tonight, that probably pushes it into next year's Congress, where prospects of repeal are slimmer. Complicating the picture is a GOP pledge not to back any bills until a budget measure and tax deal are completed, notes the Hill, along with disagreements over whether Reid will allow amendments.
(More Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal stories.)