Cord Byrd: “I respect the viewpoints of all of those who have spoken, those who are opposed to my amendment as well as those who…”

“I respect the viewpoints of all of those who have spoken, those who are opposed to my amendment as well as those who have spoken in support of it. When I read and heard about the problems that were existing in the military, I stated publicly that I was going to seek, in the Armed Services Committee, to establish a commission to look into the matter. Whereupon, I am not implying that Mr. Cohen appointed his commission because I said that, but he did appoint the commission on his own, or indicated he was going to appoint a commission. I looked with some askance at a commission that would be appointed by the Secretary of Defense to look into this matter. So he proceeded to appoint that commission. I was surprised that he appointed Nancy Kassebaum-Baker as chairman of that commission. He appointed a good commissioner. So I had approached the matter by pushing for an amendment that would create a commission. Mr. Kempthorne and I joined in that. But I was suspicious of any commission that would be appointed within the administration by the Secretary of Defense--not that it was the particular Secretary of Defense, but I wanted to establish a fox to watch the chickens.”