Three GOP Senators Back Repeal

Republican senators Lisa Murkowski, Olympia Snowe, and Scott Brown have announced they support the stand-alone bill to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" which was introduced earlier this week by fellow Republican senator Susan Collins of Maine and Connecticut independent senator Joseph Lieberman.

"Senator Brown accepts the Pentagon's recommendation to repeal the policy after proper preparations have been completed. If and when a clean repeal bill comes up for a vote, he will support it," said Gail Gitcho, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts senator, according to ABC News.

Snowe, of Maine, said Wednesday she would support the repeal, just as the House of Representatives voted to repeal the 17-year-old law.

"After careful analysis of the comprehensive report compiled by the Department of Defense and thorough consideration of the testimony provided by the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the service chiefs, I support repeal of the 'don't ask, don't tell' law," Snowe said in a statement.

Murkowski and Brown had previously suggested they supported repeal, but this is the first time both have committed to backing a bill.

Sixty senators are needed to avoid the lockup promised by several antirepeal leaders, including Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member John McCain of Arizona.

Senate majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada has yet to announce when the bill will move forward in the Senate.

Other possibilities on the Republican side include senators Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio.