President Barack Obama is likely to
sign a bill that repeals the military's ban on gay and bisexual
troops serving openly on Wednesday.
White House Press Secretary Robert
Gibbs told reporters on Monday that he expects the president will
sign the bill into law during a morning signing ceremony.
The
House overwhelmingly approved the measure on Wednesday. The
Senate followed on Saturday with a 65 to 31 vote that included 8
Republicans.
The
Senate's leading opponent of repeal, Arizona Senator John McCain,
who had twice blocked passage of a defense bill that included
language to repeal the law, as much as admitted defeat before
senators voted.
“Today is a very sad day,” McCain
said.
Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, the
main sponsor of the legislation, disagreed: “It's time to right a
wrong and put the military in line with the rest of American values.”
Before the law is repealed, the
president and top Pentagon officials must first certify that the
military is prepared to end the law, also known as “Don't Ask,
Don't Tell.”
Gibbs said the White House and Pentagon
lawyers are working on “implementation and legal issues”
associated with the law's demise.