Patty Murray: “The Senate now has before it a very important amendment. I think all of us know that women have played a critical role…”

“The Senate now has before it a very important amendment. I think all of us know that women have played a critical role in all of our country's recent military actions. In Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in missions throughout the world, women have demonstrated their skill, their sacrifice, and their courage. We can all be very proud of the women who have served in our military. They are our mothers, our daughters, they are our sisters, and they are our neighbors. They put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedom. They live and work in hostile combat zones under very dangerous conditions. They make sacrifices every day to defend our Nation. But today, military women are forced to sacrifice their own constitutional rights, as they risk their lives to protect our freedom.”