Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has
cheered repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the 17-year-old law
that bans gay and bisexual troops from serving openly.
On Saturday, the Senate approved repeal
of the law that has ended the military careers of more than 13,000
service members. House
members overwhelmingly voted in favor of repeal on Wednesday.
President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law next
week.
“This is a historic step forward for
all Americans, a step toward a more perfect union and a more perfect
reflection of our core values,” Clinton said in a statement
released on Saturday.
“As the president and I have
repeatedly said, we are committed to universal standards abroad and
here at home. Our progress on equality here strengthens our advocacy
for human dignity everywhere,” she added.
The Senate's final 65 to 31 vote
included eight Republicans. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, the
only Democrat not to vote for repeal, did not attend the vote, but
later said
in a statement that he does not believe the timing is right for
repeal.