The US Senate has taken a key step towards allowing gay people to serve openly in the military.Senators decided by 63-33 to advance a bill overturning the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for a final vote, which is expected soon.
Repeal is now said to be certain as the House of Representatives has already backed it. President Barack Obama had promised to overturn the policy.
Opponents argue that the change will damage troop morale.
More than 13,000 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law forbidding gay people in the military from acknowledging their sexual orientation.
Mr Obama has made repealing the policy a key part of his agenda since taking office in 2009.
Earlier this month, a Pentagon report said that allowing openly gay troops would have little impact on the cohesion of US forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
