On the recordJune 4, 2015
I will return to the floor soon to lay out more fully what this amendment does. Fundamentally, it tries to protect our force structure, our personnel and, in particular, the core component of brigade combat teams as the Pentagon--the Defense Department--deals with curtailed resources. I am very concerned, as are so many of us, that as defense budgets are cut, personnel and core resources in terms of end strength, including brigade combat teams, will suffer cuts that go well beyond fat and into meat and bone. We need to limit that. We need to avoid that. This amendment would do that with regard to brigade combat teams. It does not increase spending. It retains as much flexibility as possible for the Department of Defense. I think it meets an important goal in a balanced and reasonable way. I look forward to continuing this discussion toward a vote in favor of this amendment. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, for the benefit of Members, and in agreement with Senator Reed, we will be having the Shaheen amendment, followed by side-by-side Markey and Cornyn amendments. And those votes, we are planning on, but haven't confirmed, will probably be at around 1:45 p.m., and that would complete our activities. That is not totally agreed to, but that is the plan.
