On November 30, the Defense Department released its long-awaited Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The report details the results of a survey of service members about their attitudes toward changing the current Pentagon policy on homosexuals serving in the armed forces (see “Gays in the Military,” Congressional Digest, April 2010).

The study – which Secretary of Defense Robert Gates commissioned in response to concerns that such a change would have a negative impact on military moral, readiness, recruitment, and retention – found that about 70 percent of active duty and reserve forces had little or no problem with ending the current policy.

In announcing the report, Secretary Gates expressed confidence that successful repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was possible, but that “an abundance of care and preparation is required.” Read his entire statement here.

President Obama said that the report “confirms that a strong majority of our military men and women and their families – more than two thirds – are prepared to serve alongside Americans who are openly gay and lesbian.”

The President wants the law to be repealed by congressional action, and although such legislation has passed the House, it is still pending in the Senate. The report would appear to remove a major barrier to passage, since the bill specifies that for repeal to take place, the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must first certify that the new policies and regulations would be consistent with standards of readiness.

In the President’s statement, he urged the Senate to act “as soon as possible so I can sign this repeal into law this year and ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally.”

First, however, the Senate Armed Services Committee wants to question a number of Pentagon officials, including some who are skeptical about the report’s conclusion. And after that, the bill’s fate will rest on the wavering positions of 10 or so moderate senators who have yet to announce how they will vote.