President Clinton signed a slimmed-down $261 billion defense bill Friday with a slightly stricter version of his "don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuals in the military. It also repeals the ban on women aboard Navy combat ships.
The spending measure appropriates $2.6 billion less than Clinton proposed and is $12 billion below last year's level. In the post-Cold War era, defense spending has been shrinking as the size of U.S. military forces shrinks.The policy that became law instructs the military not to ask about sexual orientation of recruits but allows a future defense secretary to reinstate the question.
It also says that open declarations of homosexuality pose an unacceptable risk to morale, good order and discipline.
Clinton had proposed a policy that would permit homosexuals to serve as long as they remained silent about their sexual orientation, except in the most private of settings and did not engage in homosexual acts.
The stricter version was drafted by Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Clinton signed the measure while attending a meeting of Asian-Pacific leaders.