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“ Democratic priorities are clear: we will fight to get the economy back on track, we will create jobs, and we will help unemployed workers. ” |
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Pelosi: ‘We Must Expand Opportunities for Women Serving in the Military’
Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on an amendment by the Military Personnel Subcommittee last night to reverse an ill-advised effort by Republicans on the Readiness Subcommittee last week regarding women in the military:
“The Military Personnel Subcommittee action likely would have required the removal of tens of thousands of women from the jobs they are currently doing in Iraq and Afghanistan, brought unnecessary confusion to the Army during a time of war, and exacerbated an already bad recruiting environment.
“While the full Armed Services Committee sought to correct this egregious error, the new provision still does not send the right message about the need to expand opportunities for women serving in the military. It remedies the short-term problem the Republican provision would have caused for our deployed Army, but it does not reflect the fact that all our military services will need to rely more on women in the future.
“I have seen these women in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, and I am very proud of them. They are a crucial part of the national security of our country.
“Next week, when the defense authorization bill comes to the floor, we must make sure that the military has the ability to attract the recruits it needs by providing to all – women and men – the opportunity to make the best use of their talents and skills.”
“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
