Steve Buyer: “I want to congratulate both of you on a job well done on your bill. To my friend Ike Skelton, Ike, I support the policy…”

“I want to congratulate both of you on a job well done on your bill. To my friend Ike Skelton, Ike, I support the policy that you came up with years ago when I first came to Congress 18 years ago--the DOD's Don't Ask, Don't Tell--and we should not be repealing it. In a unified voice, all of the service chiefs have asked us to give them time to properly seek out the right answers on how to move forward regarding a major policy shift that will affect every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine. Mr. Chairman, our heroes are performing valiantly in a two-front war. Now is not the time for Congress to be voting on an amendment to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Now is the time to strengthen our resolve to support our servicemen and -women and to help them fight and defeat terrorism around the world. Now, the Constitution permits Congress to discriminate. We actually are designated with the power to raise and support armies, to provide and maintain a Navy, and to make the rules for government regulation for land and naval forces. There is nothing in the Constitution that guarantees a citizen the right to serve in the Armed Forces. As a matter of fact, pursuant to the powers conferred by section 8 of Article I of the Constitution, it lies within the discretion of Congress to establish qualifications for and conditions for service in the Armed Forces. You can't be too tall. You can't be too short. You can't be overweight. I mean, we make these decisions. Why?…”