Key Vote: National Defense; Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell

Cloture Motion, Defense Authorization Act

- Vote Rejected (57-40, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward on this bill authorizing defense expenditures for the 2011 fiscal year. The bill included a provision that would have repealed the "don’t ask, don’t tell" law. The bill is unlikely to move forward if it includes the "don’t ask" provision. This will be the first time in 49 years a defense authorization bill has not been cleared.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO