Political Quotes

“I rise today to support amendment No. 1521, which would limit the use of overseas contingency operations, or OCO, funds. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this amendment, which was filed by the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed. I wish to start by thanking Senator McCain and Senator Reed for their leadership in producing the underlining bill. Drafting the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, is no small task, and I support many important provisions included in the bill. As Ranking Member of the Seapower Subcommittee, I worked with Chairman Wicker to include provisions that will strengthen and support our Navy and Marine Corps. Every Defense bill presents challenges and tradeoffs. There are competing priorities and compromises. For 52 consecutive years, both Chambers have debated the details and come up with a product that supports and enhances our national security. However, this year's bill presents more than just a difference over details. The overall framework of this bill is a problem. Before us is a bill that presents a serious question about our national values--a question that the Reed amendment would help to answer. Earlier this year, the Republicans pushed through a budget resolution. That resolution clearly set forth the framework that Chairman McCain had to work within. That framework basically said: We are not going to address sequestration in a meaningful way.…”