Republicans block bill to lift military gay ban

Republicans block bill to lift military gay ban

ANNE FLAHERTY,Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked legislation that would have repealed the law banning gays from serving openly in the military.

The partisan vote was a defeat for Senate Democrats and gay rights advocates, who saw the bill as their last chance before November's elections to overturn the law known as "don't ask, don't tell."

With the 56-43 vote, Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation. It also would have authorized $726 billion in defense spending incl...