Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and John McCain of Arizona, the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, are in talks on stripping the proposed repeal and other controversial provisions from a broader defense bill, leaving the repeal with no legislative vehicle to carry it. With a repeal attached, and amid Republican complaints over the terms of the debate, the defense bill had failed to win the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle in the Senate in September…

Failure to act on the policy would heighten tensions between the White House and its supporters in the gay community, many of whom hoped Mr. Obama would have accomplished far more on their agenda by now…

The issue isn’t high on the to-do list of Rep. John Boehner (R., Ohio), the likely next House speaker. “In the midst of two wars, even with one winding down, I certainly don’t think this will be a priority,” said Michael Steel, spokesman for Mr. Boehner. When the House voted to repeal don’t ask earlier this year, five Republicans voted yes and 168 voted no.