Celia Israel: “Today and this week we will debate the national defense authorization. This is part of our most fundamental obligation…”

“Today and this week we will debate the national defense authorization. This is part of our most fundamental obligation as Members of Congress, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. However, there is a provision that is inserted into this bill that doesn't protect and defend--it discriminates. It is a provision in this bill that would effectively stop an executive order that says that Federal contractors cannot discriminate against employees because they happen to be LGBT. I want to say this again. In the defense authorization, House Republicans have inserted a provision to empower and enable the discrimination of LGBT employees. That is not protecting and defending. That is discrimination. That is divisive. It is disgusting. Our job is to protect and defend the American people and not inject the defense budget with ideologies that are based on protecting a political base, Mr. Speaker. It is a disservice to our troops, and it is a disservice to our national security to inject such poisonous language into a defense budget that is meant to protect and defend the constitutional rights of the American people. ____________________”