Political Quotes

“I rise today to recognize the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. Today marks the end of the 60-day waiting period following notification to Congress that the necessary certifications were made by the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding this change in policy. I am pleased that this discriminatory law was relegated to the past early this morning at midnight. I am proud to have played a role in this repeal, and I thank my colleague Senator Lieberman who, when prospects seemed most dire, worked with me to develop a strategy to pass a stand-alone version of the bill that ultimately resulted in repeal of DADT. It was almost 4 years ago when I first asked ADM Michael Mullen, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. That was the first, but not the last, time that Admiral Mullen courageously testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee about the need to debate and evaluate the DADT policy. It seemed to me then--as it does now--that our Nation should not refuse the service of patriots who willingly answer the call to arms, simply on the basis of their sexual orientation.…”