Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the bill we are about to vote on is a good bill. It is the product of an extensive bipartisan, bicameral agreement between the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. We have passed a defense bill every year for the last 51 years. This bill deserves to be the 52nd because, like our previous bills, it does the right thing for our troops, their families, and our Nation's security. It passed the House with a vote of 350 to 69, and it deserves an equally strong bipartisan vote in the Senate tonight. Yesterday I praised the members of our committee, and I also noted the amazing work of our staff, and I am not going to repeat that. This bill is not a Christmas gift to our troops and their families. Authorizing funding for our troops, supporting our troops and their families is what we owe them. It is the least we can do, for they are the gift--they are the gift to this country, to this Nation, and to all of its people. I would like to describe some of the many important provisions in this bill. The bill includes numerous provisions to sustain the compensation and quality of life that our service men and women and their families deserve as they face the hardships imposed by continuing military operations around the world. For example, our bill reauthorizes over 30 types of bonuses and special pays aimed at encouraging enlistment, re- enlistment, and continued service by Active Duty and Reserve component military personnel.…”