Jon Tester

Look, all you have to see is what is gone on, on the southern border, and you know that we are in a situation that needs immediate repair, immediate fixing, and immediate overhaul, whatever you want to call it.

I have repeatedly called upon Secretary Mayorkas, and President Biden, and Congress, to step up and fix what is going on in the southern border.

We must be clear-eyed that this budget request would represent a real cut in funding for the Department of Defense as it fails to keep pace with inflation.

We need to understand what risks this lower budget creates for our military personnel, our operations around the globe, and our modernization efforts.

The fact is, the border needs to be fixed, and we need to step up as Congress.

I am very concerned about the security and stability situation in the region.

This budget request is not just a financial document; it is a clear statement of NDS implementation and our collective resolve to face the challenges of today and prepare for those of tomorrow.

It is apparent the status quo has not worked and is not working currently.

But we have failed miserably in getting the budget done on time.

I strongly believe that competition drives better acquisition outcomes: it fosters innovation and keeps prices low.

Yet we continue to fiddle and do Putin's bidding.

We have allies and they're friends of ours.

I strongly believe that competition drives better acquisition outcomes: it fosters innovation and keeps prices low.

This proposal for funding for Homeland Security is inadequate.

Eisenhower warned of the military industrial complex. The fact of the matter is, is that they're an important partner for us.

The truth is, is that those additional investments also include people's lives if we don't do what we need to do today.

I do want to fix them and we need to make sure we're increasing the industrial base so that they can meet these goals.

It is long past time to get these funds signed into law.

We've got challenges out there in this acquisition sphere whether it's competition, whether it's workforce, whether it's timelines, whether it's meeting costs, whether it's the continuing CR baloney, and I'm being generous when I say…

I do not think it is acceptable to be continuing to say: Don't worry about this, it is coming.

I think that is ineptness on Congress' part, not on yours, and we tend to tie your hands behind your back when we don't get budgets done on time.

I just think it is critically important, and I think that if we don't get a good solid timeline about when things are going to happen, and I anticipate that is going to happen in June, then we can anticipate that we will never hit that…

We must be clear-eyed that this budget request would represent a real cut in funding for the Department of Defense as it fails to keep pace with inflation.

Congress established a distinct appropriations account to ensure sufficient funding to recruit and retain acquisition personnel.

We are running against some real-time issues if we are going to get these replaced in the three ICBM bases by 2036.