Bid to repeal U.S. military gays policy fails in Senate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a White House-backed bid to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. military, but lawmakers seeking to end the policy said they would soon try again.

On a 57-40 vote, Democrats fell short of the needed 60 votes to clear a Republican procedural hurdle and move to end the 17-year-old policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."