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Senate vote on DADT set for Tuesday
There is a lot of news circulating about the National Defense Authorization Act, the filibuster vote, the don’t ask, don’t tell repeal provision and Tuesday’s vote in the U.S. Senate.
On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Senate will vote at 2:15 p.m. on cloture for the motion to proceed to debate on NDAA. That means that opponents of DADT need 60 votes to move forward.
LGBT civil rights activists maintain they actually have more than 60 votes.
However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has changed the terms of the debate, slighting moderate Republicans lined up to vote to break any filibuster.
Reid’s rule will block any amendments to NDAA.
In the final hours before the vote, activists are urging calls to the Senate switchboard and offices.
Callers are asked to request that Reid return to the original terms of amendments and debate for NDAA.
Callers also are asked to call five key Republicans on the issue.
Reid’s contact is 202-224-3542.
The five Republicans are Sen. Susan Collins, Maine, 202-224-2523; Sen. Dick Lugar, Indiana, 202-224-4814; Sen. George Voinovich, Ohio, 202-224-3353; Sen. Olympia Snowe, Maine, 202-224-5344 and Sen. Scott Brown, Massachusetts, 202-224-4543.
