Political Quotes

“Madam President, I rise today to express my strong support for the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill that Senator Baldwin and I have introduced with our colleagues Senator Feinstein, Senator Portman, Senator Sinema, and Senator Tillis. Madam President, this bill recognizes the unique and extraordinary importance of marriage on an individual and societal level. It would help promote equality, prevent discrimination, and protect the rights of Americans in same-sex and interracial marriages. It would accomplish these goals while maintaining and indeed strengthening important religious liberty and conscience protections. I am proud to be the lead Republican sponsor of this legislation, and I am grateful that a similar bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support. As the Senate considers and prepares to vote on this historic legislation, I would be remiss if I did not begin by recognizing the tremendous progress that LGBTQ individuals in this country--in our country--have made in recent times in achieving equal rights. It was not long ago that patriotic Americans could not be honest about their sexual orientation while fighting to protect our country-- our freedoms--in the Armed Forces. I led the fight with former Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut to repeal the discriminatory don't ask, don't tell law. It was not long ago in America that a person could be fired merely for being gay.…”