Political Quotes

“I thank the Senator. I appreciate the opportunity to be here to rise in support of the pending amendment that is based upon, as Senator Blunt mentioned, a piece of legislation that was introduced on a bipartisan basis earlier in the year called the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, which I was proud to cosponsor. During the past few weeks, we have heard certainly impassioned arguments from both sides of the aisle about this issue. Certainly, it has been a robust and important exchange of views, which I have appreciated. However, I think it is regrettable that similar to so much else that happens around here, this issue has been used as an election- year tactic to score political points, and in some cases there have been the facts of what this amendment and our bill hope to accomplish have been supplanted by mischaracterizations and distortions. That is unfortunate because what we are here to talk about is incredibly important. This is a fundamental matter of religious freedom and the proper role of our Federal Government. It is about who we are as Americans and renewing our commitment to the principles upon which this Nation was founded. This debate comes down to the legacy left behind by our Founding Fathers and over 200 years of American history. We have a choice between being responsible stewards of their legacy, as reflected in the first amendment to the Constitution, or allowing the Federal Government to interfere in religious life in an unprecedented way.…”