On the recordFebruary 8, 2018
reserving the right to object, I think no one in this body more than I wants to continue funding the military. I have three nephews serving in the military. My father-in-law is a career Air Force man, and my dad served in the military. However, I think it is also important when we talk about how we have a strong country that we have to talk about solvency. There comes a point in time when you borrow so much money that it actually becomes a threat to your national security. It was Admiral Milliken, the former Chief of Staff, who said that the biggest threat to our national security currently is our national debt. I think there is an irony that those who criticized President Obama for trillion-dollar deficits are now in the body saying: Oh, we must pass this trillion-dollar deficit. Yes, I do think it is important that we have this debate. What I have been arguing for tonight is not a delay, not any kind of permanent delay. What I have been arguing for is an open debate. So if we are having all the spending, every last bit of spending has been glommed together in one bill, 700 pages. No one has read it. Nobody has any idea what is in it, and there is no reform. I think if we are going to do that, I think we ought to at least have amendments and have an open debate. If we are not going to have an open debate, if it is going to be ``take it or leave it,'' frankly, I will leave it because I think my duty. What I told the American people was that I care.…
