On the recordMay 27, 2010
I thank the gentleman. Madam Chair, the greatest privilege I've had in my life has been in serving this Nation for almost 25 years in uniform. I know how important it is to fill our military with qualified professional and motivated volunteers. We are blessed in this Nation. That's exactly what we have. It is time for us to honor their professionalism and know that they are ready to end this discriminatory practice. I support this amendment because it allows for the study of implementation, and it allows the Department of Defense to implement it after their study is done. We do this all the time in the military. It took us 6 months to change from hats to berets. The process will be orderly. It will be right down the line the way it needs to be, and at the end of the day, don't question their ability to do it. I support the amendment.
