Pete Sessions: “I have listened with growing concern and really anger at the remarks of the Senator from Texas. I agree with him. It is…”

“I have listened with growing concern and really anger at the remarks of the Senator from Texas. I agree with him. It is a cause of great concern to me. I served 15 years in the U.S. Department of Justice. I have served in the Army Reserve as a judge advocate. My responsibilities in that capacity were to protect the rights of servicemen and all their responsibilities, enforcing the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act so that those service people can maintain their rights in their communities and not be abused while they were serving their country on active duty. To me, this is a very unhealthy action. It outrages me for three particular reasons. First of all, taxpayers' money was used for it. Legal Services Corporation lawyers actually going into court and seeking to deny soldiers, sailors and airmen the right to vote. It is fundamentally wrong, it is offensive to me, and I am glad the Senator has spoken out aggressively about it. The Legal Services Corporation has had a history of abusing its charter. Time and time and time again, they are caught and held to account, and they back off and say, 'Oh, we're sorry, we made a mistake, it won't happen again.' But it has happened again and again and again, in my experience, and I think we ought not to forget that. I also want to say it is particularly galling to me that the votes they seek to cancel are those of soldiers, sailors, and airmen and airwomen who are serving our country abroad and throughout this Nation.”