WASHINGTON (AP) — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says the House will vote on a stand-alone bill that would repeal the policy of forbidding gays from serving openly in the military.
Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania is introducing the bill Tuesday. Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said he will bring the bill to the House floor soon.
The House has already passed a defense authorization bill that included a repeal of the policy, but that bill stalled in the Senate.
Hoyer said Murphy's bill would mirror an effort in the Senate to pass a stand-alone measure. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, has been among the leaders of the opposition, arguing that such a significant personnel policy change shouldn't happen when the country is fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.