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Senate blocks 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal
The ban on gays in the military has been in place since 1993.
Repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is tied up in a larger bill to authorize Pentagon
programs and give U.S. troops a pay raise. The 1.4% pay raise in the Senate measure would be the lowest for the military since 1962.

The Senate has failed to get past a roadblock on a bill that would repeal the policy banning gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
The procedural vote failed, 57-40, and was mostly along party lines. Sixty votes were needed to move forward.
The future of repeal is murky, since the lame-duck Congress is only in session for a few more weeks.
President Obama said today's vote is "disappointing" and urged senators to keep pressing. "It must not be the end of our efforts," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., forced today's vote because he said he was tired of Republicans playing games. "Discrimination has never served America well," he said, adding the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell" hurts morale.

One challenge is that 42 Republicans have signed a letter saying they will not vote on legislation until work is done on tax cuts and other economic measures.Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, has been blocking the repeal because of concerns about the impact on military readiness. He mounted a filibuster this summer and Democrats could not get the 60 votes needed to get past McCain and proceed with a debate.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen both support repeal and have urged Congress to act before the federal courts do. Congressional action would essentially give the Pentagon more time to implement a new policy.

I'M POSTING THIS UP BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT BEING GAY GOT TO DO WITH SOMEONE TRYING TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY. WHY WOULD THEY NOT ALLOWED GAY PEOPLE BE IN THE MILITARY. ANYBODY WHO FEEL LIKE THEY KNOW PLEASE RESPONE.