Video:
Senator Boxer (1:05:24)
Transcript:
<…>
Madam president, I rise to express my deep disappointment that we were unable to proceed to the defense authorization bill.
I've been here awhile and maybe I'm wrong, I'm searching my memory, and I don't remember any time that we voted against proceeding to a defense bill.
And I'm going to go back.
Certainly in the time I'm here, I don't remember that.
It's a filibuster just to go to the defense bill.
And it's perplexing to me, because this is some of what's in this bill: a defense health program to care for our military personnel and their families, including our wounded warriors.
We know that these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken quite a toll on our military men and women, both in seen injuries and brain.
<…>
I visited some of the research universities that are finding better ways to treat our wounded warriors.
They're finding better ways to treat terrible wounds that result in horrible burns to our brave men and women.
And now is the time to put those new and better treatments into place and there's a filibuster and we can't get to the bill.
We know there's a military pay raise in this bill for our service members.
Those voting "no" to proceed to this are stopping that.
This bill authorizes Tricare coverage for eligible dependents up to age 26.
In other words, just as we did in the health reform act, in this bill we're saying, if you're in the military and you have a child, you can put them -- keep them on your coverage until they're 26.
For mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles or MRAPS, which have proven highly successful in protecting our troops from improvised explosive devices.
<…>
Well, in that bill that the republicans blocked also is a -- is a repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
And the way it's written in the bill that says we repeal it but it won't be actually repealed until there's a certification from the department of defense that it won't have an adverse consequence on our troops.
Some said, oh, this is just ignoring the department of defense, ignoring the secretary of defense.
Not at all.
The way senator Levin, chairman Levin put it together, it definitely had a check on it, so i don't understand a lot of my colleagues on the other side claiming that it was just a quick repeal with no -- with no check and balance from the secretary of defense.
I would say again, it was clear in there -- and I'll read the exact words -- that there must be, as we repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a certification from the president, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff that there will be no significant impact on -- and I quote -- "military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the armed forces." you know, I think it's important to note what countries allow gays and lesbians to serve.
How about 22 of our allies who are -- who are fighting with our fighting men and women?
Afghanistan -- fighting men and women in Afghanistan?
Australia, Britain, Netherlands, Slovenia, Austria, Canada, He Estonia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, And Sweden.
In addition, Israel and South Africa also do not discriminate against gays and lesbians.
<…>
And the point is, because we're part of this coalition of 22 other nations, our fighting men and women are already fighting side-by-side with those who may well be gays and lesbians.
A majority of Americans think it is the right thing to do to allow our qualified young men and women to serve, regardless of their sexual orientation.
According to a CNN poll conducted in May, 78% of Americans said they support allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
78% of Americans.
And we would be standing with them and we would be standing with our allies.
So don't ask, don't tell is hurting our military.
It's costing our nation.
14,000 servicemen and women have been discharged from the military under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
It has cost taxpayers about $290 million at least, maybe up to half a billion dollars to replace soldiers who were discharged under this policy.
And I know many Americans have seen in their living rooms coming on the TV men and women who are our neighbors' kids and our neighbors who have been kicked out of the military even though they were stellar -- stellar -- servicemen and women.
So it's really most unfortunate that our friends on the other side were mischaracterizing what this was because it was already in the bill and we allowed them to offer an amendment to strip that language and they said, oh, well, if we pass this, then the military would be caught off guard.
Not at all.
<...>
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
