Since becoming a member of Congress in the spring, Rep. Mike Quigley has happily inserted himself into some hot-button political debates. After only three months on the job, he's taken on Defense Department spending, rebuffed efforts to limit reproductive health care, and condemned the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which mandates the discharge of openly gay service members.
Quigley addressed the latter issue during his remarks today at Chicago's annual "With Liberty and Justice for All" event, which honors gay and lesbian soldiers and vets. "It is very easy to come to the conclusion that we are fundamentally less safe with don't ask, don't tell," Quigley told the crowd. "We are fundamentally less just with 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' " Watch (the clip begins with the congressman referencing his recent trip to Iraq):
Along with six other Democratic members of Illinois' congressional delegation -- Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Jesse Jackson Jr., Danny Davis, Luis Gutierrez, Phil Hare, and Bobby Rush -- Quigley signed on to the Military Enhancement Readiness Act (HR 1283), which would scrap the policy. Now it's time for the commander in chief to throw his support behind it as well. "We must do this now for our our GLBT soldiers," Quigley said today, "but also for the security of our country."
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