National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
Floor Speech
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 -- (Senate - September 20, 2007)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. DURBIN. I would like to be notified when I have spoken for 2 minutes and leave the remaining time under the control of Senator Boxer.
This is a balanced amendment that Senator Boxer, Senator Levin, and I have offered to this bill. I am not sure this is a debate in which we ought to engage on a regular basis, but Senator Cornyn has the right to raise this issue, and he has raised it.
The point we want to make is this: The Cornyn amendment focuses on one organization and one attack on an honorable, patriotic leader of our military, General Petraeus. If this resolution that he offers would be fair, it would also take into consideration the situations that we have raised in our amendment with Senator Boxer.
I asked Senator Cornyn last night: Will you amend your resolution so other attacks--unwarranted, disgraceful attacks--on the military can be included? And I gave him two examples, and he said no because those were involved in a political campaign.
I am sorry, but that isn't good enough. If the principle is sound, it is sound whether it is in the course of a political campaign or not. If we are going to stand up for the honor, integrity, and patriotism of those who serve our country in uniform, let's do it without partisan favor and certainly not arguing that a political campaign is somehow fair game to say anything about anybody. That is what is wrong with American politics, and that is what has to change.
The Boxer amendment, which I am honored to cosponsor, changes it. I think the examples we have cited in this amendment include not only the MoveOn ad, which has been dismissed and criticized by many on both sides of the aisle, but also goes to the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth out of Texas, an organization that attacked our colleague, Senator John Kerry, in what I think was one of the lowest moments in Presidential politics. It goes to the attacks on Senator Max Cleland, a man who used to sit in a wheelchair, having lost three limbs in Vietnam, a disabled veteran struggling to be a Senator from Georgia whose patriotism and courage were attacked in a political ad--something which I am sure is going to remain a shameful chapter in American politics.
Those who want to join in standing up for men and women in uniform, past and present, have a chance to do it with the Boxer amendment. I am honored to be a cosponsor.
I reserve the remainder of my time.
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