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A vote is likely to come up on the issue of gays serving in the military. President Obama was “pleased” by the House vote.
"This legislation will help make our Armed Forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly and with integrity," the president said.
Iraq war veteran Rep. Patrick Murphy D-Pennsylvannia had offered the repeal the existing policy of Don't ask, don't tell.
"When I served in Baghdad, my team did not care whether a fellow soldier was straight or gay," Murphy said. "Could they do their job so that everybody in our unit could come home safely. With our military fighting two wars, why on earth would we tell over13,500 able-bodied Americans that their services are not needed."
The proposed change has opposed by the Republicans and they have said that lawmakers should have voted after the completion of the review by the Department of Defense.
Rep. John Shimkus, a former Army Ranger has said that "This is devastating to the war fighters and the combat infantrymen,"
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 16-12 similar measure.
Any repeal would not come into effect only after the completion of a Pentagon Working Group study which is due on the 1st December.
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