Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to echo the words of the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire, Mrs. Shaheen, and her support of the repeal of don't ask, don't tell. It is important for our military, it is important for our values, it is important for human rights, it is important for our country. As we know, for nearly 17 years Federal law has dictated that gay and lesbian Americans serving or hoping to serve in our Nation's military must be silent about their sexual orientation. If that silence were broken, they would face the grim consequences of an almost certain discharge. The don't ask, don't tell policy, as it has become commonly known, is inconsistent with our American values. It has robbed the military of valuable personnel who can contribute to military readiness and fulfillment of missions at home and abroad. That is why I opposed this policy in the mid-1990s and have advocated for its repeal ever since. Throughout this debate I have heard from many Ohioans, including members of our military, expressing profound opposition to the policy of don't ask, don't tell. Ohioans such as Cadet Katherine Miller, LTC Victor Fehrenback, who spoke with me at one of my Thursday morning coffees in the Capitol, MAJ Mike Almy, and many other advocates and servicemembers have worked in their communities. They have walked the Halls of Congress to explain why don't ask, don't tell should be overturned.…”