Political Quotes

On the recordMay 25, 2010
Mr. President, I support congressional action to move past the policies that discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation against men and women serving and wanting to serve in our Nation's military. I commend Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Secretary Gates, and the President for their leadership on this important issue. America is defended by the finest military in the world. There should be no place in America, including in our military, for discrimination. While the country and Congress work to move the country forward and open the doors of opportunity to all Americans, some still choose to sow division and partisan conflict. How ironic that the policy of nondiscrimination that Elena Kagan sought to encourage while serving as the Dean of Harvard Law School is poised to become the law of the land, while those who oppose her nomination continue to distort her lawful actions to ensure that the school followed its nondiscrimination policy. I support the reversal of the don't ask, don't tell policy. I hope all Senators will. Two weeks ago, President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Much has been written and said about this nomination during the last 2 weeks and more will be said over the next month, as we prepare for the Judiciary Committee's hearing, which will begin on June 28.…
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Patrick Leahy
Democratic · Vermont

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