We are hurting now as a nation. We have wounds from racism that have never been allowed to heal, wounds that are so open & raw--hurt & anguish that so many in this country still feel. Click the video to hear my full remarks on the Senate floor about equality and justice.

When you think about the things that matter—equality, justice, the fundamental truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by God with certain rights, and when those rights are denied, when they are violated, it is our responsibility to address the injustice.

In my home state, Alaskans have been coming together with a shared sense of duty and responsibility, speaking up about things that matter and doing so in a way that brings us together, rather than divides.

We heal when we acknowledge our weaknesses, when we acknowledge our failures and we vow to address the things that matter, like equality and justice. And what we say and how we say it truly matters.

I have struggled with the right words….But I can listen and I can educate myself and I can try to be a healer at a time when we need to be healed and that’s my commitment and my pledge going forward, to those I serve in Alaska and to those I serve here in this country.

This is a challenging time. We know this, but we are an extraordinary country. We are an extraordinary people with an extraordinary resilience.