Pelosi: We Have the Votes to End Don't Ask Don't Tell

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted Thursday that the House will vote soon to repeal the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy banning gays from serving in the military.

"I think the votes are there for that, yes," she said.

Pelosi's prediction came as the Senate Armed Services Committee considered repealing the ban during its annual closed-door session on Pentagon policy. In conjunction with the Senate committee's vote, the House is expected to take up the same amendment Thursday night or Friday morning.

"It is the right thing to do," Pelosi said. "And the legislation, the compromise that was worked out at the White House, is respectful of the fact that there is a review going on, speaking at all levels to the military across the country and in theater about how we should go forward."

The language, sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in the Senate and Iraq war veteran Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn.) in the House, would lift the 17-year-old Don't Ask Don't Tell policy if the president and top military leaders certify that doing so will not hurt the armed services' readiness, morale or cohesion. A review is being conducted by the Pentagon to study those questions.

Along with Murphy, 192 House members have co-sponsored the amendment. On the Senate side, Sen Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) announced Wednesday he would vote to end the policy. Several senators have already announced how they will vote, including Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), who will vote against lifting the ban, and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lieberman who will vote with the Democrats to repeal the ban.

With Nelson's vote in hand, one more yes vote is needed to approve the language in the committee. Sens. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.) and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) are the only remaining senators who have not announced how they'll vote.