What Won't Brown Do For You?

U.S. senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts says he will not join with fellow Republicans to filibuster the upcoming defense authorization bill, despite his party's opposition to an amendment that would repeal the military's ban on gay and lesbian service members.

Brown, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who'd stated he opposed the amendment, said he wanted to wait for the Pentagon to finalize its study on the repeal, according to The Boston Globe. However, Brown then voted for the full authorization bill, including language that would end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Globe columnist Joan Vennochi speculates that if Brown does not filibuster, joining fellow Republican senator Susan Collins of Maine, the GOP (lead by ranking Armed Services Committee member and veteran John McCain) will have a difficult time sustaining a delay on a full Senate vote on the defense bill.