Political Quotes

“If you want to strengthen NATO and you want to stop free riding, maybe you use leverage. Maybe you use leverage. If you want to strengthen our country, maybe use leverage to get your partners who are supposed to be your partners to start paying their share. The only reason that this is even improving is because the previous administration made that a big issue and made that demand. We should make that demand still. I reiterate: The number one security threat, according to a long line of DOD officials, is our national debt. At some point you simply can't keep funding the military operations you want to fund. If your partners aren't willing to pay their share, you don't strengthen them, you weaken us. That is what this amendment is designed to do. It doesn't prevent us from putting forward our operations anywhere, but it does encourage and leverage our partners to actually pay their fair share. Mr. Chair, I urge everyone to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”