Thread: Sen. Carl Levin uncertain about ‘Don’t Ask’ vote count

Levin uncertain about ‘Don’t Ask’ vote count

Chris Johnson | Sep 20, 2010


Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday expressed uncertainty over whether the Senate would have sufficient votes to move forward with major defense budget legislation containing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tellâ€

From the other side:
Progress Still Possible The U. S. Senate on Tuesday: DADT is 1st test,
then the DREAM Act

Re: DADT

So far, the advocates have just one: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is the one Republican who's pledged to vote for the repeal of DADT — that is, with the Democrats for breaking the filibuster. They were hoping the other Maine Republican, Olympia Snowe, would join Collins, but today she announced that she probably won't.

If the filibuster is broken, the next order of business will be a vote on whether to include the pro-immigration reform DREAM Act in the Defense bill. It's a winnable fight, according to Chris Bowers of DailyKos — six Republicans have either sponsored this bill or voted for it previously. Bowers says: Call your senator.

Re: DREAM

Here's an update from the SEIU on which senators stand where on the DREAM Act. Both of North Carolina's senators, Hagan (D) and Burr (R), are listed as undecided. It's pretty clear to other advocates, though, that Burr is a definite no. Hagan? She's expressed support for the concept, but not for the amendment — she would prefer a DREAM-like bill to be part of a comprehensive immigration reform package.