Lawmaker Warns "Don't Ask" Repeal Means Talking to Kids About Homosexuality

Conservative Missouri Democrat Rep. Ike Shelton, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said today that the military should keep the "don't ask, don't tell" policy intact in part to avoid parents having to talk to their children about homosexuality.

Congress has moved toward authorizing repeal of the Clinton-era policy, which bans gays from serving openly in the military. The House voted to overturn the law last month.

If a repeal provision gets through the Senate - a fierce fight is expected in the coming months - repeal could go into effect after the conclusion of a Pentagon study ending December 1st and subsequent approval from President Obama and military brass.

According to the Associated Press, Skelton told reporters that repeal of the policy could put families in a difficult position because it could prompt children to ask about homosexuality.

"What do mommies and daddies say to their 7-year-old child?" he asked.

Skelton, one of the 26 Democrats who opposed repeal in the House, added that his "biggest concern are the families."