On the recordMay 19, 2016
I thank the gentleman for his kindness. I want to briefly join in the gentleman's recounting of our history, and I want to remind people of the eloquent statement of the Attorney General, Attorney General Lynch, who indicated that civil rights is a very large tent, and it embraces all Americans. Whether it is religious freedom or religious rights, or whether it is civil rights issues dealing with the race and ethnicity of Americans, we have always overcome. I believe that the men and women of the United States military deserve better than to have the kind of poisonous amendments that undermine the very reason that they put on the uniform, for us to be free, to speak freely, to associate, and to stand as who we are. I am saddened because my history is a reminder that I did not stand equal in this Nation, either as a woman or an African American, or even as an immigrant, which my grandparents were. So I join in pleading with this House to not, in any way, strip us of civil rights and tear up the Constitution, the 14th Amendment, the Fifth Amendment of due process. That would be shame on us. I join the gentleman in his amendment, and I ask that we consider those who we like and who we dislike. They are Americans, and they deserve the right to be respected under the law. I would ask that the gentleman's amendment be accepted, voted on, respected; and let us be the Americans that our Constitution dictates and our flag says we are.
