Tom Harkin: “I met him yesterday, a young man 25 years old. He said for the first 25 years of my life I was an able-bodied American…”

“I met him yesterday, a young man 25 years old. He said for the first 25 years of my life I was an able-bodied American and played football and soccer, even ran a few marathons. He graduated from West Point and went to Afghanistan and had both of his legs blown off. He walks on prosthetic legs now and talks about going to South Africa on a trip and the fear gripped him because of the fact he couldn't get around. In the hotel they had curbs. He had the kind of problems he doesn't have here. I saw him out here in the reception room after the vote. He had been sitting in the gallery. He came down. I went up to him and I said: Dan, what can I say? I am sorry. I am sorry. But, I said, we will come back again. We are going to come back at this thing. But, I said, I am sorry. You know what he said to me? He said: You know, Senator, watching this and seeing this makes me want to get just about as far away from politics as I can. Is that the message we send to young veterans, young heroes like this? I don't want to take any more time. Others want to speak. As I said, it is a shameful day. I do say we will be back. Senator Kerry will be back, Senator McCain. Again, I give them the highest plaudits for what they did. Senator McCain and Senator Kerry did a magnificent job, and Senator Lugar, in carrying this bill forward. I know they do not want to give up either. I was hoping we would pass it before Senator Lugar leaves the Senate.…”