Kent Conrad: “As was apparent to all who attended Mr. Rumsfeld's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, our…”

“As was apparent to all who attended Mr. Rumsfeld's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, our new President has made a good choice for Secretary of Defense, one of the nations most important offices. Mr. Rumsfeld held this senior position during the Ford administration, a time when some Members of Congress were just getting their start in public service. Decades of experience, respect from both sides of the aisle, thoughtfulness, and a strong commitment to this nation make Donald Rumsfeld well qualified to again serve as Secretary of Defense. As ranking member of the Budget Committee in this equally divided Senate, I look forward to working closely with Mr. Rumsfeld to craft a defense budget that strengthens our nation's defense and makes sense in the context of our national fiscal priorities. In light of the fact that both the status quo within our armed forces and massive increases in defense spending are untenable, I am interested in talking with the new Secretary about a sustainable defense budget and making policy and procedural changes at the Pentagon that might enable us to retool for the information age and get more for our defense dollar.”