Political Quotes

“I also thank the senior Senator from Arizona for helping me bring this amendment forward. I am proud to cosponsor it with him and Senator Blumenthal. I wish to make a couple of points. We have asked the Pentagon for a full accounting, not just NFL teams but other teams that have received such money. We want to make sure this practice stops. Part of the reason it needs to stop is these teams that were mentioned before by the senior Senator from Arizona and other teams that have received this kind of money do a lot for the military out of the goodness of their heart. They do a lot for the military and for veterans who return, and we shouldn't discount that and don't want to discount that. The problem is, when some teams are accepting money to do what has been termed ``paid-for patriotism,'' then it cheapens all the other good work that has been done by these sports teams and others. So it is important we stop this practice and make sure that when fans are there and they see this outpouring of support for the military, they know it is genuine--because there is a great deal of patriotism by those who attend these games. We want to make sure people recognize it is done for the right reason, and that is the reason for bringing this amendment forward.…”