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The Senate headed toward a crucial vote Wednesday afternoon on the fate of the Pentagon’s ban on gay Americans serving openly in the military.

Senator Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat and majority leader, said earlier Wednesday that he intended to exercise his ability to call for the reconsideration of an earlier vote blocking a broad Pentagon measure that contains a repeal of the policy.

In order to entice some Republicans to back the procedural move, Mr. Reid, according to his aides, has offered the opposition the right to offer multiple amendments. If Mr. Reid can win the vote on the underlying Defense Department policy measure, the Senate would be on the verge of repealing the ban. A failure to cut off the filibuster probably dooms the repeal for this session of Congress.

Mr. Reid won a new Democratic ally Wednesday in his push to lift the ban when Senator Mark Pryor, Democrat of Arkansas, said he would support efforts to bring the Pentagon measure to the floor.

“I have now carefully reviewed all of the findings, reports and testimony from our armed forces on this matter, and I accept the Pentagon’s recommendations to repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” Mr. Pryor said in a statement. “I also accept the secretary of defense and chairman of the joint chiefs’ commitment that this policy can be implemented in a manner that does not harm our military’s readiness, recruitment or retention.”

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Senator Scott Brown, Republican of Massachusetts, said on Friday that he now supported the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy regarding gay soldiers, after a Pentagon report this week concluded that allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly would not pose risks to the battle readiness of troops.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mr. Brown voted last spring against repealing the policy. The repeal language is included in the annual military policy bill now before Congress.

But in a statement on Friday, Mr. Brown said that he accepted the report by Pentagon commanders.

Democrats seem to have secured enough votes to win approval of the repeal provision. But some of the Republicans who have said they will support the repeal did so on the condition that the majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, allow sufficient time for debate and the ability to offer amendments on the broader policy bill. With the Congressional clock ticking toward the end of the year, it is unclear that Mr. Reid will have enough time. Senate Republicans have already said they will block any legislation until a fight over the expiring Bush-era tax cuts is resolved and a temporary spending resolution to finance the government is adopted.

It is also unclear just how much time for debate, and how many amendments, will satisfy Republicans willing to support the repeal, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine.

Mr. Brown, in his statement, did not address the larger bill.

“I have been in the military for 31 years and counting, and have served as a subordinate and as an officer,” said Mr. Brown, who is in the Massachusetts National Guard. “As a legislator, I have spent a significant amount of time on military issues. During my time of service, I have visited our injured troops at Walter Reed and have attended funerals of our fallen heroes. When a soldier answers the call to serve, and risks life or limb, it has never mattered to me whether they are gay or straight. My only concern has been whether their service and sacrifice is with pride and honor.”

Mr. Brown added, “I pledged to keep an open mind about the present policy on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Having reviewed the Pentagon report, having spoken to active and retired military service members, and having discussed the matter privately with Defense Secretary Gates and others, I accept the findings of the report and support repeal based on the secretary’s recommendations that repeal will be implemented only when the battle effectiveness of the forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed.”

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The Pentagon’s sweeping review of its controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy will soon become an evidentiary exhibit in courtrooms from sea to shining sea. For example, when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals convenes in California next Monday to determine the fate of Proposition 8, the anti-same-sex marriage initiative, surely lawyers supporting equal [...]

The nation’s top two defense officials are scheduled to head to Capitol Hill next week to discuss a Pentagon report gauging the potential effects of repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled hearings on the issue for Dec. 2 and 3, with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, among those slated to testify on the first day.

Mr. Gates and Mr. Mullen’s appearance is scheduled to come two days after the expected release of the Pentagon study, and as congressional opponents of the policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military try to repeal it during a lame-duck session.

People familiar with a draft of the Pentagon report have said it concludes that repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” might create short-term problems within the military, but that those could be handled with strong leadership. The study was set for release on Dec. 1, but Mr. Gates moved the schedule up a day so lawmakers would have more time to examine the report.

In addition to Mr. Gates and Admiral Mullen, the two officials who led the Pentagon review — Jeh C. Johnson, the Pentagon’s general counsel, and Gen. Carter F. Ham of the Army – are also scheduled to testify on Dec. 2. Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps; Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , the Army chief of staff; and Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff – all of whom have expressed reluctance about lifting the ban – are among those expected to testify on Dec. 3.

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, said last week that he would push to pass the defense legislation that includes the “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal during the lame-duck session.

Consideration of that measure was blocked in September, but Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut said recently that he and other repeal supporters have enough votes to pass the bill if Senate leaders allowed extensive debate.

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A proposed document dump by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks could damage U.S. relations worldwide, the Obama administration has told Congress. WikiLeaks indicated earlier this week that it could soon release sensitive diplomatic records to the Internet, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. “These revelations are harmful to the United States and our interests,” Pentagon spokesman P.J. [...]

Can one day make a difference? Defense Secretary Robert Gates apparently thinks so. He’s ordered the early release of a Pentagon report on the effects of ending the military prohibition of gays serving openly in the armed forces. The report is due by Dec. 1, but Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Sunday it will be [...]