Collins (Creative Commons)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is holding up a vote on the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell until after both the Obama tax cuts compromise is passed and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid allows for a longer debate on the defense spending bill that the repeal is attached to. She wants 34 hours--or about four days--of debate allowed, while Reid has been angling for half that because of the time crunch Democrats face to pass a series of bills he's procrastinated on bringing to the Senate floor.

She's become the lead negotiator with Reid on this one because in the end she does support repealing the ban on gays openly serving in the military. Her demands on the debate rules came Wednesday after two more senators--Democrat Mark Pryor and Republican Lisa Murkowski--said they would support the repeal. Republican Scott Brown backed the repeal last week. If Collins' demands are met, the repeal could be sent to President Barack Obama's desk by the end of next week.

In September, Reid fell three votes shy of the 60 needed to open debate on the repeal.

Late Wednesday, the House sent the DREAM Act to the Senate. But Collins' colleague Olympia Snow (R-ME) said she would not support the bill. Brown also does not support it. Democrats will have to get a handful of others to support the measure. The batch of targets includes senators Dick Lugar, Bob Bennett and Sam Brownback.

Three years ago, the Senate fell eight votes shy of the 60 needed to open debate on the DREAM Act with seven Democrats opposed.