John Kerry: “I wish to go on record in opposition to the McCain amendment and express my strong support for the Department of Defense…”

“I wish to go on record in opposition to the McCain amendment and express my strong support for the Department of Defense Technology Reinvestment Program [TRP] which provides essential public-private funding for dual-use research and development. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war have not brought an end to the need for a strong United States military. We find ourselves facing challenges that are different but no less complex: the spread of nuclear weapons and major regional, ethnic and religious conflicts, to name a few. These new threats increase the need for fast, flexible, mobile forces equipped with the most advanced weapon systems. The Technology Reinvestment Program will allow our troops to defend themselves with the most current, technologically advanced equipment and enhance our ability to respond effectively to any threat our troops may face. The Defense Department's TRP is an innovative program that maximizes the use of taxpayer funds to exploit promising technologies by working cooperatively with the private sector to ensure both our military and commercial sectors seize and exploit these cutting edge technologies. This cooperative endeavor enhances our national security and economic well-being and moves us toward a single, cutting-edge national technology and industrial base.”