At Politics Daily, "Republicans Block Repeal of Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy":
Senate Republicans blocked the Defense Department bill Tuesday, objecting to gay rights and immigration language in the annual legislation that sets policies and spending levels for the Pentagon. Majority Democrats, needing 60 votes to break a filibuster and begin consideration of the bill, fell short 43 to 56. Arkansas Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor joined all 40 Republicans in voting no.RELATED: "Lady Gaga and Harry Reid's Twitter Lovefest on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also voted against the bill, but for procedural reasons. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) missed the roll call.
GOP senators said two controversial additions -- language to begin the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military and a last-minute amendment based on the DREAM Act to give young illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they complete two years of college or serve that long in the military -- made the bill impossible to support.
"In Senator Reid and the Democrats' zeal to get re-elected, they've used a cynical political ploy to try to galvanize and energize their base," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) the top Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee. "In the case of the DREAM Act, it's the Hispanic vote...The repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell is an appeal to the gay and lesbian base. I've been around here a long time and I have never seen such a cynical use of the needs of our men and women in the military."
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