Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleague from California, Ms. Harman. This amendment has the strong support of the Department of Defense and I believe it is the right thing to do. While I understand the concerns of my colleague from California, I would note that only two-tenths of one percent of U.S. troops have permanent medical conditions that limit their assignability. I am concerned that the current provision in the committee bill is punitive in nature and proposes a policy based less in medical reasoning than political calculation. Each service has long-established procedures for dealing with medical disabilities. Many members of the armed services that are not eligible for worldwide assignments continue to make substantial contributions to our national security. I believe that these personnel issues are best addressed by the Department itself, and not by congressional micro-management. I urge my colleagues to support the Harman amendment.”