The Senate failed to move forward with a cloture vote on the Defense Authorization previously, after Republican senators objected to the procedure of allowing amendments to the bill. Many activists felt Reid used DADT repeal as a political tool ahead of the 2010 mid-term elections.
The letter comes on the heels of the release of a Pentagon study on DADT earlier in the week. The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to hold hearings on the report Thursday and Friday of this week.