- 12/03/10 01:13 PM ET
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said Friday he would support doing away with the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Brown broke with most Republicans to say he endorsed the findings of a Department of Defense report this week that said doing away with the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian service members would not harm military missions.
"Having reviewed the Pentagon report, having spoken to active and retired military service members, and having discussed the matter privately with Defense Secretary Gates and others, I accept the findings of the report and support repeal based on the Secretary’s recommendations that repeal will be implemented only when the battle effectiveness of the forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed," he said Friday in a statement.
The statement lends key support to doing away with the ban, especially from a lawmaker who had long served in the Army National Guard.
Still, it's not clear whether Brown will break with other Senate Republicans, who have vowed not to let other legislation proceed in the chamber until other tax and spending issues are addressed first.
It's also a key maneuver for Brown as he prepares for his 2012 reelection effort in typically Democratic Massachusetts. He's staked out a centrist record on other issues, such as Wall Street reform.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), another swing GOP vote, also supports repeal but said she has concerns about the general process of debating the 2011 defense authorization bill, which contains the repeal provision.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the ranking member on the Armed Services panel, threatened Friday to block debate on the authorization bill.
Roxana Tiron contributed to this post.
Brown broke with most Republicans to say he endorsed the findings of a Department of Defense report this week that said doing away with the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian service members would not harm military missions.
"Having reviewed the Pentagon report, having spoken to active and retired military service members, and having discussed the matter privately with Defense Secretary Gates and others, I accept the findings of the report and support repeal based on the Secretary’s recommendations that repeal will be implemented only when the battle effectiveness of the forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed," he said Friday in a statement.
The statement lends key support to doing away with the ban, especially from a lawmaker who had long served in the Army National Guard.
Still, it's not clear whether Brown will break with other Senate Republicans, who have vowed not to let other legislation proceed in the chamber until other tax and spending issues are addressed first.
It's also a key maneuver for Brown as he prepares for his 2012 reelection effort in typically Democratic Massachusetts. He's staked out a centrist record on other issues, such as Wall Street reform.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), another swing GOP vote, also supports repeal but said she has concerns about the general process of debating the 2011 defense authorization bill, which contains the repeal provision.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the ranking member on the Armed Services panel, threatened Friday to block debate on the authorization bill.
Roxana Tiron contributed to this post.
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