The year before, the U.S. military repealed its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, allowing gay men and women to serve openly.

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Mr Obama has promised to repeal the Defence of Marriage Act and to let gays serve openly in the armed forces.

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He insisted that he will implement the military's policy allowing gays to serve openly and move ahead on opening combat roles to women.

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And so, as the first generation to serve openly in our Armed Forces, you will stand for all those who came before you, and you will serve as role models to all who come after.

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And the Democrats may further sour the atmosphere by attaching to the budget measures the Republicans oppose, allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces or granting citizenship to illegal immigrants who join the army or attend university.

ECONOMIST: Congress

Allyson Robinson of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, one of the groups which successfully campaigned to let gays serve openly in the military, said repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" has given more male soldiers the confidence to report same-sex assaults.

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If the military had a troop shortage could shore up its numbers by allowing openly gay service members to serve, it would have done that a long time ago, too.

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Portman told CNN he sought counsel from a Republican who did serve as vice president: Dick Cheney, the highest-ranking Republican with an openly gay child, his daughter Mary.

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