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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate has voted to overturn the military's ban on openly gay troops and sent the bill to President Barack Obama.

He's expected to sign it into law next week, ending the 17-year policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."

The Senate vote was 65-31. The House had passed an identical version of the bill by a 250-175 vote earlier in the week.

Repeal would mean that, for the first time in American history, gays would be openly accepted by the military and could acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out.

More than 13,500 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law.

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