Mike Collins: “I appreciate the gentleman yielding time. Mr. Chairman, this is an interesting amendment, especially for me, because I…”

“I appreciate the gentleman yielding time. Mr. Chairman, this is an interesting amendment, especially for me, because I am currently a chaplain in the United States military. I appreciate the arguments that have been made here, but let's just bring back something that needs to be made. When we deal with this in the contradiction of terms, a chaplain is there to provide services and spiritual guidance and a guiding hand, if you would, to all--those of faith and those with no faith. That is done in a confidential setting, and it is done in a way in which the person who brings to the chaplain their feelings, their needs, and their conversations are kept in that inviolate conversation. What I'm here to do is to support this amendment because I believe it attacks the basis of the chaplaincy, it attacks the chaplaincy as a whole, this introduction into the DOD to bring an atheist chaplain to, really, the heart of the chaplaincy itself. I think it is beyond more than just do those who have no faith have a place to go. It's not about that. I believe it's about the faith of the chaplaincy as a whole and the standards that have been set up. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.”