Deb Fischer: “I rise today to congratulate Gen. John E. Hyten on his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. I also want to extend my…”

“I rise today to congratulate Gen. John E. Hyten on his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. I also want to extend my congratulations to his wife, Laura, and note the remarkable bond they share. Their partnership in life has enabled his success in uniform, and his achievements are truly theirs. Across four decades of service, General Hyten has risen through the ranks to become one of the most respected voices in our military, and many in this Chamber rely on his deep knowledge and expertise. This is especially true on matters relating to space and nuclear deterrence. I got to know General Hyten when he became a Nebraska constituent following his appointment to be the commander of U.S. Strategic Command in 2016. This was actually General Hyten's second tour of duty at Offutt Air Force Base, having previously commanded the 6th Space Operations Squadron there in the late nineties. During his 3 years as the commander of STRATCOM, I was privileged to work closely with him, not just as the senior Senator from Nebraska, but also the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee's Strategic Forces subcommittee, which directly oversees STRATCOM's mission areas. During this span, we witnessed a marked shift in the strategic landscape, with worrying trends with respect to adversary behavior in space and investment in nuclear arms greatly accelerating.…”