The Senate is poised to vote on two amendments to the defense-authorization bill today that would have the likely effect of increasing military recruitment, but that Republicans are threatening to oppose. The first is the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," which prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Repeal wouldn't end the policy immediately -- it depends on the completion of a study the Pentagon is currently conducting that ends in December.
The second amendment is the DREAM Act, which has languished in Congress for years despite bipartisan support. That bill would allow the undocumented children of illegal immigrants brought to the United States before the age of 16 to pursue a path to citizenship if they graduate from high school *and go to college or join the military.
There are few substantive objections to either amendment. The civilian and military leadership at the Defense Department have endorsed repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." The U.S. is hardly at the vanguard of allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly -- Israel, Canada, and the UK, among others, already do. Likewise with the DREAM Act, the undocumented residents who would be affected are here through no fault of their own but because of choices made by their parents. They are hardworking, assimilated, Americanized, and in some cases, willing to fight and die for their adopted country.
Yet Republicans, hoping to deny the president and the Democrats a legislative victory, are objecting on process grounds. Sen. John McCain has promised to filibuster the bill if it contains these amendments. Last week he told the Senate that "the problem is the truncated process and partisan manner in which the Majority is forcing through a de facto repeal of a long-standing policy that may have significant ramifications for our military force during a time of two wars – all to fulfill a campaign promise – made by President Obama in 2008 – two months before an election." Of course, DADT already has "significant ramifications" for U.S. military forces during a time of two wars, in the sense that it pushes talented and qualified officers out of the service.
The above statement reveals a bit too much. Both the DREAM Act and repealing DADT are widely popular, and while McCain has publicly supported the former and claims to be on the fence with the latter, he's willing to prevent both from happening, because the Democrats might benefit politically.
Most Americans, though, seem to understand the basic issue here: In the midst of winding down one war and escalating another, it seems like folly to prevent those who are willing to serve from doing so because of the mere circumstances of their birth.
UPDATE: Sorry, I got this wrong earlier. The amendment repealing DADT has already been added, the GOP will be trying to block the vote ending debate and attempting to add an amendment removing DADT repeal. The DREAM Act amendment hasn't been added yet.
