WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will unveil steps next week that the military will take to lay the ground for a repeal of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which permits gays to serve in uniform as long they hide their sexual orientation, officials said on Thursday.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, will present an "implementation plan" to U.S.

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama’s call to scrap the “Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell” rule barring homosexuals from military service will be difficult, both politically and legally, a military advocacy group said on Wednesday.

Obama announced his desire to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military during his first State of the Union address Wednesday night.

“This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are,” Obama said.

The Clinton-era rule, which skirted the outright ban on homosexuals serving in the military, would likely take an act of Congress to change, said Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness...

A conservative military watchdog expects a tough fight in Congress if Democratic leaders move forward with a plan to try ending the ban on homosexuals serving in the U.S. military by attaching an amendment to next year's defense authorization bill.

On Wednesday an aide to Congressman Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) told The Hill that both the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) back the strategy of using the defense bill to attempt to change the 1993 law which strictly forbids homosexuals from serving in the military. That law has often been confused with Bill Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" directive, which was never approved by Congress...

WASHINGTON, DC - Attacks on people based on their sexual orientation will join the list of federal hate crimes in an expansion of the law Congress approved Thursday and sent to President Barack Obama.

At the urging of Republicans, the bill was changed to assure that a religious leader or any other person cannot be prosecuted on the basis of his or her speech, beliefs, or association. But South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint worried that it would still "serve as a warning to people not to speak out too loudly about their religious views"...

(CNSNews.com) – Chai R. Feldblum, nominated by President Barack Obama to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has argued that homosexual sex is “morally good” and that government should foster all types of domestic partnerships, including “non-sexual” ones.

At a UCLA law school symposium in 2004, Feldblum said that homosexual activists need to do more than just pursue equality for same-sex relationships because advancing the homosexual agenda also “requires a statement that gay sex is morally good.”

“Now, you may think that might be a little crazy to go out there and say, ‘Gay sex is good.’ But think about it for a second. Society definitely believes that heterosexual sex is good, right? Heterosexual sex within a certain framework--marriage--I mean you can’t get more dewy-eyed and romantic in this society about how wonderful that is,” Feldblum told the University of California at Los Angeles audience...

Senator Joe Lieberman is working hard to advance two top legislative priorities of homosexual activists in Washington.

Senator Lieberman (I-Connecticut) earlier this year introduced the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009 (S. 1102), which would extend spousal benefits to the same-sex partners of federal government employees. Those benefits would include federal health insurance, enhanced dental and vision care, retirement and disability provisions and life insurance and benefits in cases of death or disability.

Lieberman tells The Hill newspaper that he hopes to get the bill onto the Senate floor by the end of the year.

Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with Liberty Counsel, says he finds it unfortunate that during an economic recession, liberals are "holding Americans hostage to a radical social agenda"...

WASHINGTON -- Thousands of gay and lesbian activists marched Sunday from the White House to the Capitol, demanding that President Obama keep his promises to allow gays to serve openly in the military and work to end discrimination against gays.

Rainbow flags and homemade signs dotted the crowds filling Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House as people chanted "Hey, Obama, let mama marry mama" and "We're out, we're proud, we won't back down." Many children were also among the protesters. A few counter-protesters also joined the crowd, which stretched several blocks by the afternoon.

Washington (AP) - Rainbow flags fluttered above the crowds near the White House as tens of thousands of gay rights supporters rallied to demand that President Barack Obama keep his promises to end discrimination against gays and also let them serve openly in the military.

"Hey, Obama, let mama marry mama" some chanted on Sunday. Others cried out, "We're out, we're proud, we won't back down."

Some taking part in the National Equality March woke up energized by Obama's promise to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military. He made that pledge in a speech Saturday night to the Human Rights Campaign, nation's largest gay rights group...

(CNSNews.com) – This weekend, President Obama will become the first president in history to leave the White House to attend an awards ceremony and fundraiser held by a homosexual activist group.

Obama is slated to speak to members of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Saturday evening at the Washington Convention Center, where the group will hand out the first-ever Edward M. Kennedy National Leadership Award in honor of the late liberal senator’s support for the gay agenda...

Democrats are currently undertaking two major efforts in Congress to enact key parts of the political agenda of homosexual activists.

Today liberal Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-New York) plans to introduce a bill that would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The bill, which already has 69 co-sponsors, would create federal recognition of same-sex "marriages."

However, openly homosexual Congressman Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) is warning fellow Democrats that passing the bill in this legislative session is unrealistic, and that a provision in the bill that would let same-sex couples take their partnership benefits across state lines will stoke a strong response from conservatives...