National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

Floor Speech

The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1540) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes:

* Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2012.

* More specifically, I rise in fierce opposition to provisions of this bill which seek to deter and derail the repeal of Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell.

* A repeal, which has been implemented only after the Department of Defense completed a comprehensive review of the issues associated with the repeal.

* A repeal, which has been implemented only after DOD solicited the views of nearly 400,000 active duty and reserve component Servicemembers.

* A repeal, which has been implemented only after DOD conducted one of the largest surveys in the history of the U.S. military.

* Still, we stand here today to consider a measure that demonstrates that this body doesn't believe that Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are right to support the repeal.

* I believe in our military's ability to evaluate and make recommendations, and I fully support their plan to implement repeal.

* I urge my colleagues to do the same and oppose this bill.

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