From TPM:
The Senate took a big step toward ending the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers today. By a vote of 63 to 33, the Senate voted to end debate on a bill repealing the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, opening the door for a final Senate vote on the standalone repeal bill passed by the House Tuesday. That means a simple majority of 51 Senators can now bring the legislative fight on repealing DADT to an end. That vote is expected to come -- and expected to succeed -- by the end of the weekend.
....
The path to today's vote was not clear until this week, when the House hastily passed a standalone repeal bill following the Senate GOP's blocking of DADT repeal as part of a defense spending bill that came up earlier this month.
At the time, some thought repealing DADT could no longer happen this year. But Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer sprang into action, working together to write a standalone bill and push it through the House and Senate quickly. That struggle seems to have all but ended today.
Did I ever think I'd be grateful to Joe Lieberman? No, I did not! Thank you Joe!
