Washington, DC.  – Today the Palm Center released a statement following the failed Senate vote (56-43) to overcome a Republican-led filibuster on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2011. “Discharges and discrimination will continue because of today’s vote in the Senate. This was not just a vote on whether to end a filibuster. This was a vote on the Senate floor on whether to end discrimination against gays and lesbians in the U.S. military,” stated Christopher Neff, Deputy Executive Director of the Palm Center.

The unsuccessful override of the filibuster now means that debate will not begin on the NDAA until after the November election. Neff added: “The focus will now turn to the White House and their decision on appealing the current ruling by Judge Phillips in the Federal District Court.”

Judge Phillips’ ruling in Log Cabin Republicans v. United States declared the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ law unconstitutional. The White House and Department of Justice have yet to make public any decision regarding whether to appeal the case. Judge Phillips has stated that she will issue an injunction stopping discharges under the law if the case is not appealed.