Responding to pressure from pro-repeal senators and gay groups, the Pentagon is releasing its study on how to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell before its Dec. 1 deadline — one day before.
The Washington Post reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the report be released on Nov. 30.
“He wants to ensure members of the Armed Services Committee are able to read and consider the complex, lengthy report before holding hearings with its authors and the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a statement.
President Obama, the Log Cabin Republicans and other players agree that repeal, which is part of the massive defense spending bill, stands a much better chance of passing after the Pentagon releases its report.
The report is expected to say that DADT, which allows gay men and women to serve in the military as long as their sexuality remains hidden, can be repealed with minimal impact.
As such, pro-repeal senators including Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin have petitioned the Pentagon to release its study earlier than the Dec. 1 deadline. Both Levin and ranking member Sen. John McCain, who has become decidedly anti-repeal, want to hold hearings.
On-the-fence senators say they are waiting for the review before they make a decision.
After talk of stripping repeal from the defense spending bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised repeal advocates that repeal would be included in the spending bill.
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