Is there finally a light at the end of the tunnel?
Yesterday, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) introduced a stand alone bill to repeal the military's discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" policy, saying:
The time to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has come. Already, two dozen other nations, including Israel and Great Britain, allow their troops to serve openly with no detriment to unit cohesion. As an Army veteran of the Iraq War, I’m insulted by those who claim that our troops are somehow less professional or mission-capable than the troops of these foreign nations. I’m proud to stand with the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the majority of servicemembers and the American public who all support repeal of this discriminatory policy that harms our national security and military readiness.
... and later today the House is set to vote on the bill.
This route became necessary after last week's obstruction by Senate Republicans who opted to ignore nearly 80% of the American people, the results of the Pentagon Study Group, and the recommendations by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, instead choosing to deny equal rights to millions in the interest of their own bigotry.
But of course even assuming this bill passes today, it goes right back to the Senate where it faces a number of possible scenarios:
In a wide range of interviews with individuals working on Senate strategy, the path forward has begun to emerge. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will push to bring the bill to the floor sometime early next week ... Reid may have to fill the tree with amendments -- thereby setting in stone how the debate process plays out. But if he does this without accommodating Republican requests, it could give senators the cover they need to oppose the measure on procedural grounds.
Stay tuned.