Virginia Foxx: “with the recent resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, I urge my Senate colleagues to work swiftly in a…”

“with the recent resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, I urge my Senate colleagues to work swiftly in a bipartisan manner to confirm President Bush's nominee, Dr. Robert Gates, as soon as possible. I was pleased to learn that the Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously agreed to forward Mr. Gates' confirmation to the Senate floor for final approval. We are currently fighting a global war on terror and it is essential to have a Secretary of Defense at the helm in the Pentagon to oversee and effectively utilize the vast resources of the Department of Defense. A Nation at war needs Dr. Gates' leadership at this time. He is a superb choice and is highly qualified. He recently left his position as president of Texas A&M University, the seventh largest university in the Nation, after serving 27 years in the intelligence community. He has a distinguished record of public service, having served six Presidents of both parties, and most recently as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993. He is the only career officer in the CIA's history to rise from an entry-level employee to the director. He is highly regarded and extremely qualified. I urge my Senate colleagues to act swiftly to confirm Dr. Gates.”