Senator previously opposed 'don't ask' repeal, now says he's 'not averse' to changing

Talk about it

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., isn’t saying he’ll vote to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that restricts gay people from serving openly in the military.

But Thune said he is studying the issue and paying especially close attention to the thoughts and feelings of Americans in uniform.

A procedural vote on the issue was scheduled Wednesday but then canceled. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., needs 60 votes to block a threatened filibuster on the issue that would be led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. If all 58 Democrats are joined by two or more Republicans, the repeal would go to a final vote soon, perhaps this weekend. Only 51 votes would then be needed to repeal the policy.

Thune has opposed removing the policy in the past and was expected to vote against its repeal this time as well. But he said he is studying the issue before issuing a final decision.

“I haven’t served in the military and I rely heavily on those who have,” he said during a teleconference with South Dakota journalists Wednesday.

President Obama and congressional Democrats are pushing to remove the policy, put into place 17 years ago this month by President Clinton. Most Republicans have opposed removing the policy.

On Wednesday, Thune said he has studied the Pentagon report released last week that called for lifting the ban.

Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it’s time to remove the policy. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has repeatedly called for lifting the ban. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has also supported removing the policy, while admitting considerable concern has been expressed by members of the armed forces who were serving in combat areas.

Thune said he listened to other top military leaders who spoke last week and said such a decision would be very controversial while the nation is in combat.

He said two-thirds of Marines and 57 percent of Army soldiers in combat are opposed to lifting the ban.

And Thune said while the Pentagon report said 70 percent of members of the military and their spouses support lifting the ban, only 28 percent of people contacted completed the survey.

Thune said e-mail exchanges and other messages indicated that wasn’t the true feeling of most people in the military.

“I’m not averse to changing or having a different view on this,” he said, while noting that he sought information from the military leaders during a hearing last week.

“I’m very concerned and I think I raised that in asking questions,” Thune said.

Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos told the Senate Armed Forces Committee on Dec. 3 that he opposed lifting the policy.

“My recommendation is that we should not implement repeal at this time,” Amos said.

Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz and Army Gen. George Casey also expressed concern.

Amos, Schwartz and Casey said if ordered to do so, they would see the policy changed without great disruption to the military.

Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., has called for removing the policy and will vote to repeal it, according to his spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher.

The House passed a measure to allow the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in May, with Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin voting for the repeal. President Obama, who was working the phones Wednesday to garner support for the repeal, has pledged to sign a bill repealing it.

If the Senate fails to enact the repeal this month, the new Congress, with a Republicancontrolled House, might not attempt to do so.

Bush tax cuts

Thune said he is pleased to see an extension of the Bush tax cuts moving forward.

President Obama and leaders of both parties are close to an agreement on a deal to extend the tax cuts while also offering an extension of unemployment insurance and several middle-class tax cuts tied to tuition and child care. The cuts would also serve as an incentive for businesses to add more employees.

Thune said while he wasn’t thrilled with all sections of the deal being hammered out, it’s important to extend the tax cuts. Most will go to individuals making $200,000 or less or families making $250,000 or less.

“The tax rates that are currently in place need to be extended; otherwise, we’re going to have a tax increase in the middle of a recession,” Thune said. “The absolute worst thing we can do is raise taxes.”

Sen. Johnson said he was studying the plan before deciding if he favored it.

“I am still waiting to learn more about the details of the president’s tax cut proposal as legislative language hasn’t been delivered to Congress yet,” he said in a written statement. “I appreciate that the president is looking for compromise, but I need to see the final details.

“Our initial goal was to pass a permanent extension of tax cuts for the middle class that would have even given the wealthiest Americans a tax cut up to the $250,000 limit, but Republicans held that plan hostage with a larger effort that will throw us deeper in debt during a recession and aid the richest of the rich. That said, I don’t want to see a middle class tax hike during a recession. The proposal will likely change in the coming days and I will be following developments closely.”

Thune said a serious reform of the tax code is essential for the country to be competitive in the global arena.

He repeatedly said the problem in government is “not a revenue issue, it’s a spending issue” and said he favors taking a serious look at reducing spending.

“I hope we can reach a final agreement that does reflect the will of the American people,” he said.

Thune said current spending priorities “will literally bankrupt the country” unless they’re dealt with.

“A Social Security deal is out there to be had if both sides come to the table,” he said.

“I think the military budget is going to be subject to a great deal of scrutiny,” he added.

But the country’s defense and national security must not be weakened, he said.

Thune said he supported the war in Afghanistan. The United States must protect the Pakistani nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of its enemies, he said, and cannot allow terrorists to find safe haven.

Deficit panel

Thune said the report issued Friday by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform was noteworthy.

The 18-member bipartisan panel created by President Obama produced a report titled “The Moment of Truth” that offered a path to dramatically reducing the deficit.

The commission approved the report by an 11-7 vote, falling three votes short of the number needed to submit the entire package to Congress.

“I thought the deficit commission did some good work,” Thune said. “I didn’t agree with everything in there.”

Continuing resolution

Thune said he supports passing a continuing resolution to keep government operating.

He said he is concerned an omnibus bill will be passed that will be packed with spending proposals, as has happened in the past.

Identity theft bill

Thune commended the House for the passage of an identity theft regulation bill he co-sponsored that he said won’t have an adverse impact on small businesses.

“I commend my colleagues in the House of Representatives for wasting no time in passing the Thune-Begich legislation clarifying the Red Flags Rule to protect our nation’s small businesses from unnecessary and burdensome federal regulation,” Thune said.

“Instead of worrying about being punished under the FTC rule that was set to take effect on Jan. 1, small businesses can now breathe a sigh of relief.”

Thune co-sponsored the bill, called the Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010, with Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska. The Senate passed the bill last week by unanimous consent.

A news release from Thune’s office said the bill “clarifies a burdensome regulation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that would otherwise require small businesses to undertake costly and unnecessary measures to prevent identity theft.

“…The FTC issued the Red Flags regulations under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transition Act of 2003, which requires the establishment of guidelines for financial institutions and creditors regarding identity theft. If implemented on Jan. 1, 2011, as planned, the FTC’s overreaching definition of a creditor would place a significant burden on our nation’s small businesses. Recognizing this, the FTC has delayed implementation of the rule multiple times to allow for Congressional clarification.”