Joni Ernst: “I am privileged to be on the floor this evening in what in the military we would call a joint operation. So this…”

“I am privileged to be on the floor this evening in what in the military we would call a joint operation. So this evening, I am joining my marine colleagues, Senator Sullivan of Alaska and Senator Young of Indiana, and my Air Force colleague from the great State of South Carolina. I, of course, served 23 years between the U.S. Army Reserve and the Iowa Army National Guard, deploying once for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004, where I was the company commander of 150 soldiers that ran convoys from Kuwait up into Iraq, supporting our warriors to the north. We are also joined in the chair this evening by another veteran, the Senator from Michigan in the chair, Mr. President, Naval reservist. So we truly are a joint operation under the color of purple. So thank you so much. I am going to throw down just a little bit of how we got into this situation and a little bit more about who I am because I am pro- military, obviously, but I am also pro-life as well. I served in the Iowa State Senate. And during the time that I served in the State senate, I was a pro-life leader. I was the go-to gal for our pro-life issues in the Iowa State Senate, participating and leading in legislation to advance life, as well as participating in marches for life, in the great State of Iowa. Coming into the U.S. Senate, then I became a member of the pro-life caucus. I have led on a number of efforts when it comes to life.…”