WASHINGTON – The House has voted to slow the new policy allowing gays to serve openly in the military, backing a measure to prohibit chaplains from performing same-sex marriages on military bases regardless of a state's law.
The amendment to the defense spending bill passed on a 236-184 vote on Friday. Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas said military bases shouldn't be used "to advance a narrow social agenda."
The vote's practical effect is unclear. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is likely to certify that the repeal can be implemented before Congress completes the defense spending bill for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.
The amendment would block funds to implement the curriculum of the Chaplain Corps on the new policy. The House later passed the overall defense bill.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
