Senate closing in on DADT repeal?

The senate is currently debating a defense spending bill that includes a provision to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy. This policy has a major effect on Stanford students because it stands as one of the main roadblocks to a reimplementation of ROTC at Stanford.

The provisions are included in a $726 billion defense spending bill. But the senate remains in debate right now because some senators don’t believe that the bill should include controversial social issues (the DADT repeal and a provision that would allow children of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship by enlisting in the military).

[![](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/09/DADT-for-blog-300x180.jpg)](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/09/DADT-for-blog.jpg)

The military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy could be repealed soon.

Naftali Bendavid of The Wall Street Journal also [reported](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704394704575496171425953154.html) that Senator McCain criticized the part of the bill that “repeals the prohibition on performing abortions in Defense Department hospitals.”

Lady Gaga is calling on her supporters to contact select US Senators and to urge them to vote for the bill with the repeal. She released a You Tube video with her requests here.

Sarahi Constantine Padilla, a member of the Stanford Democrat’s Board, believes that DADT is unconstitutional. She said, “I don’t think people should be turned down who are volunteering with their lives on the line for our country based on their personal life.” She notes that sometimes institutions need to be “shaken up,” and looks back to integration of the army as one of those shake ups.