Republicans filibuster DREAM Act

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid brought the Defense Spending Bill to the floor, which included the repeal of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy as well as the DREAM Act on Tuesday Sept. 21.

As the voting proceeded, the Senate Democratic leaders fell short of the 60 votes they needed to debate the amendments added to the 2011 defense bill.

A Republican filibuster led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) denied the motion to bring the amendments to the floor for debate by a vote of 56-43.

The Defense Spending Bill would have authorized $726 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for American troops.

Included was also an amendment authorizing the repeal of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy enacted in 1993 during former U.S. President Bill Clinton's tenure in office.

The policy restricts the military from asking questions to reveal a person's sexual orientation, while barring those who are openly gay, lesbian or bisexual from military service.

Reid, who is facing a close re-election challenge on Nov. 2, has pledged to use the Defense Spending Bill as a means to implement an immigration reform proposal: the DREAM Act.

The Act would provide approximately 65,000 undocumented students with a pathway to citizenship if they meet certain criteria. Candidates would have to be younger than 35, have graduated high school or earned a GED, have been living in the United States five years prior to the law's taking effect, was 16 years old or younger when they first arrived in the United States, and have demonstrated "good moral character."

Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, Democratic senators of Arkansas, voted no with the Republicans.

The Senate is expected to take up debate of the Defense Spending Bill after the midterm elections on Nov. 2.