Legislators, activists wrestle over best way forward on DADT repeal

Just after Tuesday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearings on “don’t ask, don’t tell,” Sen. Carl Levin told reporters that he had not ruled out pushing for full congressional repeal of the law in 2010 but added that he thought placing a moratorium on discharges was “a more likely prospect.”

“I think a moratorium in this period is the minimum that we should seek,” he said of including some sort of measure in the Department of Defense authorization bill. Levin said halting discharges was “consistent” with allowing the Pentagon to conduct its yearlong investigation proposed by Defense secretary Robert Gates into how to implement repeal.

Levin also said suggested the moratorium approach might have the political advantage of not requiring 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

“I don’t assume people are going to filibuster an entire Defense authorization bill because there’s a moratorium in there,” he said.

But the debate over what to seek in the way of legislation this year is far from over.

Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said he thinks the White House ultimately wants to do the right thing but is hedging on pushing for repeal right now.

“It’s my sense from the intel I’ve gathered that they don’t necessarily want the legislative side of this to move forward ahead of the Pentagon’s process being finished,” he said, adding that the door wasn’t “closed off completely” either.

Nicholson said he thought the administration had been prudent to line up the support of Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Adm. Mike Mullen first, but his organization is pushing for legislative action this year, and he sees a couple of competing factions in the Senate.

“It’s clear that there are a number of senators in particular who are eager to see some legislative movement on repeal,” he said, noting that senators Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Roland Burris of Illinois have made no secret of wanting to see a bill introduced and being willing to do it.

“I think it puts increased pressure on other senators to figure out sooner rather than later whether they will move forward with something and what form it’s going to take,” he said.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut has spoken with the White House in the past about strategies for repeal, but his intentions regarding the legislation remain unclear.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment for this article. [READ MORE]