Political Quotes

“Now there is the question of the other bill that will come before us, known as DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act. When I heard that there was going to be a bill before us called the Defense of Marriage Act, I thought it was going to be about our families and how they cope with the problems and stresses that most married people face. There are financial insecurities with jobs that are ever changing, pension insecurities with corporate raids on pensions and inadequate protections in the law, there is pressure to save enough to afford a home, there is child abuse going on in families, there is alcohol and drug abuse, there is spousal abuse, there are pressures from lack of health care. We have tried to fix some of those in this Congress. There are pressures, worrying, 'Will Grandma and Grandpa be all right? Will they make it? Will their Medicare be cut? Can we function as an extended family in this fast moving world?' These are some of the pressures. I thought it was about, perhaps, flexible working schedules so there could be more time off for school and doctor appointments. I thought it maybe addressed the issue of child care. It is called the Defense of Marriage Act. I thought we were going to deal with those issues, the stresses on marriage. So I was looking forward to seeing this legislation. Then, when I see it, it turns out to be something completely different. It turns out to be about the U.S. Congress getting into the issue of marriage.”