Chris Dodd: “we are a nation at war. I can think of no other legislation deserving of this body's complete attention than the Defense…”

“we are a nation at war. I can think of no other legislation deserving of this body's complete attention than the Defense Authorization bill. What could be more profound than debating critically important amendments on the very issues of war and peace? What could honor our men and women in uniform fighting in the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan than a full and complete discussion of amendments that will promote the safety and well-being of our troops, their families, our veterans, and our national security. Unfortunately, there are those who wish to shut down this critically important debate. And so I rise today to urge my colleagues to consider the consequences of terminating such discourse. When the time comes tomorrow, I ask my colleagues to vote against cloture to end debate on this important piece of legislation. I am not a member of this committee. And I commend the distinguished chairman from Virginia and the ranking member from Michigan and the other members of this committee who have worked tirelessly to bring this bill to the floor. In my more than 20 years as a Member of this body, I can tell you, historically, the Defense authorization bill has come up at about this time, and has generally been subject to between five and ten days of unlimited debate over its amendments.…”