By DAVID CRARY
AP National Writer
NEW YORK – Elated by a major court victory, gay-rights activists are stepping up pressure on Congress to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy this month. They want to avoid potentially lengthy appeals and fear their chances for a legislative fix will fade after Election Day.
The House voted in May to repeal the 17-year-old policy banning openly gay service members. Many majority Democrats in the Senate want to take up the matter in the remaining four weeks before the pre-election recess, but face opposition from Republican leaders.
National gay-rights groups, fearing possible Democratic losses on Nov. 2, urged their supporters Friday to flood senators’ offices with phone calls and e-mails asking that the Senate vote on the measure during the week of Sept. 20.