Senate to Take Up Big Pentagon Bill

[ProSense]

Source: The New York Times

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, told colleagues on Monday that he was planning to take up the annual Pentagon authorization bill next week. The bill includes a provision that would allow the Defense Department to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in relation to gay and lesbian soldiers.

Mr. Reid informed the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, of his decision during a meeting on Monday afternoon, aides said.

The Senate is expected to be in session for only four weeks before lawmakers leave Washington to campaign ahead of the November election. And the agenda is already packed with other big issues, including a bill to aid small businesses, a looming debate over the expiring Bush-era tax cuts, and the need to pass a temporary spending measure to finance the government until after the election.

The annual Pentagon authorization bill often requires two weeks or more of floor debate, even without a politically sensitive issue like the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.


Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/senate-to-take-up-big-pentagon-bill/