Harry Reid Supports DADT Suspension

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he'll support the proposed amendment to suspend enforcement of DADT, but says he'd like to make its suspension permanent.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that he would support a measure being considered by some senators that would put an 18-month moratorium on investigations and discharges of gay soldiers in the military. But Reid said he would take the potential amendment to the Department of Defense reauthorization bill one step further. "I would make it permanent," he added, suggesting that he would permanently suspend discharges. "We're having trouble getting people into the military and I don't think that we should turn down anybody that's willing to fight for our country, certainly [not] based on sexual orientation." Reid's comments gave a boost to an amendment that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is considering offering to the DOD legislation that would suspend investigations of soldiers suspected to be gay -- thereby stopping discharges of soldiers under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy -- until the end of the 111th Congress.