Rob Andrews: “I think many Americans don't really place whether gays and lesbians can serve in the military as the number one thing…”

“I think many Americans don't really place whether gays and lesbians can serve in the military as the number one thing they worry about in national security. I think they're probably more worried about something like a nuclear IED going off in Times Square. It is important to look at the work that the two parties have done together that is reflected in this bill to prevent that day from happening. There is a program which identifies, gathers up, secures, and eventually disposes of the material that could make a nuclear bomb which would make that horror story happen. In 2008, we devoted $199 million to that program. Frankly, it was lagging behind. We weren't identifying, securing, or disposing of enough of it. This year, we are putting $559 million into that, which means more nuclear material will be identified, locked down, disposed of, and the risk that we will have a terrible situation like I just described will be diminished. This is the real work of the defense committee, and it deserves everyone's support.”