Political Quotes

“let me start this afternoon by thanking my colleague from Missouri for taking on this issue and putting this legislation together. Let me also thank my colleague for telling the real story of this legislation. It is critically important we understand the history that brings us here this afternoon and, ultimately, to a vote on this legislation I am proud to cosponsor. My colleague just so ably pointed out that what has changed is, the Obama administration, working with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, took this important language out of this health care legislation. For decades--for decades--this important protection was in legislation, and it was supported by Democrats, Republicans, Independents, liberals, conservatives. That was the history of our country until all of a sudden this change came about where that conscience protection was taken out of the health care legislation that was passed a couple years ago. But let's look back even further in our history. The first freedom in our Bill of Rights is the liberty to exercise any religion we might choose, or for that matter not participate in any religion whatsoever. That is what this United States of America is based upon, this concept that we have the freedom to choose what faith we will belong to, what teachings we will follow, and, as I said, we have the choice to not participate at all, if we choose, in this country.…”