Congress, End Don't Ask Don't Tell | featured news

Vote clears way for passage of a bill to end policy, putting the campaign to end the ban on gay men and lesbians close to its conclusion.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans gays and lesbians from serving openly.

Republicans blocked a last-ditch effort in the Senate to lift the military's ban on openly gay troops on Thursday, dealing a major blow to gay rights groups and making it unlikely Congress could...

Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked legislation that would have repealed the law banning gays from serving openly in the military.

The House on Friday passed a defense bill that paves the way for gays to serve openly in the military for the first time, but advocates on both sides geared up for a fight in the Senate....

Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave lukewarm support Tuesday to a White House-backed plan for a congressional vote as early as this week to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law against gays serving openly in the military. Gates indicated he'd prefer more time to study the sweeping change before Congress acts....

The Marine Corps' commandant said he won't force his troops to bunk with gays on base and would give them separate rooms if Congress votes to allow openly gay service.

The Pentagon made immediate changes on Thursday to make it harder for the U.S. military to kick out gay personnel, an interim step while Congress debates repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.