Dan Coats: “the remarks of the Senator from Virginia, as always, are thoughtful, articulate, and in this case somber and serious…”

“the remarks of the Senator from Virginia, as always, are thoughtful, articulate, and in this case somber and serious, given the gravity of the situation that he described. They are important remarks and important for each of us in this body to thoughtfully and seriously consider. The Senator's commitment, as a valued member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and ex-chairman of that committee--his commitment to traveling to where the action is taking place and meeting with representatives from all sides, analyzing the problem and bringing back the very latest of information, is invaluable to those of us who serve on that committee and everyone here in this body who needs to make decisions about what the policy of the United States should be in regard to these difficult situations that arise. The Senator has indicated he has made close to 10 separate trips to this very difficult area of the world. This is not easy travel. This is a commitment that is extraordinary but also extraordinarily important to us in terms of formulating our policy. I thank the Senator for his leadership in that effort.”