On the recordJuly 13, 2023
This amendment requires a mission. We have asked nicely, we have asked persistently, and they have given us no response, so there has to be consequences. We figure $300 million out of $113 billion is a small price. It is enough to get their attention, hopefully. Who knows? They can't account for billions of dollars at the Pentagon. Instead of holding them accountable for it, even firing anybody, we are giving them even more money. Now, I couldn't be more pro-military. I enlisted in the Army. I got the chance to go to our Nation's military academy. I came back as an Army infantry officer, served in the Ranger regiment. I love this country with a soldier's passion. We have got to put our country first. If we are going to spend money, we should at least demand a mission, and $300 million is small change. In fact, before this bill could even make it through the Senate, before appropriations could even come up, they could draft a mission. They could draft a mission today, and they probably have it. The trouble is, they have three or four versions of the mission. The mission to make sure this war doesn't spread to a NATO ally would be a just cause, but it is not clear that is what they are trying to do. They are not pursuing any kind of peace negotiation. The mission to require no Russians in Ukraine could be a just cause, but that is very different than a mission that says no Russians in Ukraine including Crimea.…





