Max Cleland: “I come before the Senate to remind Members that the news today reminds us why we need a Defense authorization bill; why…”

“I come before the Senate to remind Members that the news today reminds us why we need a Defense authorization bill; why we need pay increases for our military men and women abroad; why we need our Armed Forces to be strong; why we need to take care of our military retirees, especially in terms of their health care needs; why we need a defense of this country at all. Our young men and women are in 121 nations around the globe, and they stand on watch in defense of this country. In doing so, they voluntarily, every one of them, place themselves in harm's way. We saw the cost today of that terrible price that is exacted from time to time on our service men and women. All of us have in our hearts and in our thoughts and in our prayers the families of those service men and women on board the U.S.S. Cole as they struggle with taking care of their dead, their wounded, and their missing. This year's Department of Defense authorization conference report represents months of hard work and compromise on behalf of our Nation's military, as has been discussed. I thank Chairman Warner and ranking member Carl Levin for their leadership throughout this entire process this year and for their support particularly of my initiatives to enhance the GI bill.”