Obama hails 'historic step' to end gay troops ban

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Saturday hailed a Senate vote to advance a bill to repeal a ban on gays serving openly in the US military, calling it an "historic step."

"Today, the Senate has taken an historic step toward ending a policy that undermines our national security while violating the very ideals that our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives to defend," Obama said.

"No longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay," he said in a statement.

"And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love."

He spoke after the Senate voted 63-33 to end debate on a bill to repeal the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" compromise of 1993, removing the last major obstacle to ending the policy and setting up final passage this weekend.