US House votes to end military's policy on homosexuals

The Democrat-led US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to repeal a ban against homosexuals serving openly in the US military.

On a largely party-line vote of 250-175, the House sent the bill supported by President Barack Obama to the Senate, where the prospects for approval are uncertain.

The vote came just a week after Senate Republicans blocked a similar measure to end the policy — known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell — as part of an annual defence bill.

Senate Democratic backers now say they have the needed 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to clear such a hurdle and pass the new standalone measure before lawmakers wrap up their work for the year.

"We are very confident that there are at least 60 votes," a Senate aide said.

"We'll see," a Republican aide said. "They said they thought they could get 60 last time."

At least 13,000 men and women have been expelled from the US armed forces under 'don't ask, don't tell', which allows homosexuals to serve in the military as long as they keep their sexual orientation secret. It was passed by Congress and implemented in 1993 under Democratic President Bill Clinton.

Obama, also a Democrat, took office in January 2009 vowing to end the policy, calling it unfair and unwise.

But Obama has faced Republican opposition led by his challenger in the 2008 White House race, Senator John McCain, a former navy pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam.