Here is a letter I received from Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) or as I like to call him Mr. 0.0% (apparently that gets you an award from the Log Cabin Republicans) regarding the letter I wrote for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and DREAM.
Dear Mr. Watts:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 (S. 3454). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important matter.
It is a fundamental duty of the federal government to safeguard its citizens and provide for the common defense. Our men and women in uniform must have the resources to fight and win in the Global War on Terror, and we must have a defense budget that fully supports them. These brave Americans must have the tools necessary to both carry out ongoing missions and respond to evolving threats. S. 3454 contains numerous provisions that will ease the current strain on our Armed Forces, provide our military with sufficient resources, and ensure that our troops and veterans will receive the support and benefits they have earned. Our nation’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines defend our nation against tyranny and terror. They demonstrate every day their professionalism and dedication to duty and country. In return, our nation has a solemn obligation to do everything it can to support them. I remain committed to ensuring that our military personnel are fully equipped and fairly compensated for the invaluable service they provide our nation.
Although this legislation typically enjoys bipartisan support, this year my colleagues in the Senate attached language to the S. 3454 that would repeal the prohibition against performing abortions in Department of Defense medical facilities and repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Furthermore, the Majority Leader indicated his intent to offer the DREAM Act, which has nothing to do with national defense, as an amendment to this legislation. These tactics are an insult to millions of Americans, especially those that respect the sanctity of life, our troops that sacrifice so much to protect our freedom, and those of us committed to addressing our broken immigration system through thoughtful, credible reform.
I oppose the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and have a strong commitment to protecting the sanctity of life. Moreover, I believe the DREAM Act should be addressed as part of comprehensive immigration reform that covers all pressing immigration matters. Furthermore, I am disappointed that the Majority Leader indicated that he would not allow other Senators the opportunity to call up amendments to S. 3454 for consideration. For these reasons, I voted against the motion to proceed to S. 3454, which would have allowed the NDAA to move forward for debate—this motion failed in the Senate by a 56—43 vote.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will continue to advocate for a national defense budget that sufficiently supports our troops in their current missions and guarantees U.S. national security in the coming years. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
Rebuttal, Mr. Watts?
Senator…
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