Mike Levin: “I was listening in the cloakroom to Senator Tester's comments about his amendment, and I wish to tell everyone how right…”

“I was listening in the cloakroom to Senator Tester's comments about his amendment, and I wish to tell everyone how right on point he is. I am focusing on overseas bases and the need to close some of those bases. We have another Defense bill coming up fairly soon, if we cannot get something done on this bill--and I hope we can--whether it is the sense of the Senate or otherwise to put our focus there, because we need to reduce our presence particularly in those bases, I believe, in Europe, where we simply no longer need those bases and cannot afford to maintain them. But whether we can get a commission done is a different issue because that could actually slow down the process, to appoint a BRAC-type commission. I just wished to comment while he was still on the floor that I believe he is right. He is focused on that which is critically important for not just the Armed Services Committee but for this Senate to look at, which is to look at the huge number of overseas facilities we have and the fact that there are many we no longer need and we have to look there for some significant savings. I just wished to commend the Senator from Montana. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.”