Jack Reed: “first, I want to commend Senator Shaheen for a typically thoughtful and compelling speech concerning the proposed…”

“first, I want to commend Senator Shaheen for a typically thoughtful and compelling speech concerning the proposed nomination of Mr. Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense. I will follow by rising to express my opposition to Mr. Pete Hegseth's nomination to be Secretary of Defense. Mr. Hegseth is the ninth Defense Secretary nominee I have considered as a member of the Armed Services Committee. I have voted in favor of all of his predecessors, including those in the first Trump administration. While some former Secretaries and I have disagreed politically, there was always an understanding that partisanship has no place when it comes to providing for our men and women in uniform. Indeed, the weight of this position--Secretary of Defense--is enormous. The Secretary is responsible for leading a Department of 3\1/ 2\ million servicemembers and civilians; an annual budget of nearly $900 billion; and hundreds of thousands of aircraft, ships, submarines, combat vehicles, satellites, and our nuclear arsenal. They also play a powerful role with allies, partners, and adversaries abroad, having to meet, communicate, and coordinate with a whole range of individuals from many different ethnic groups and many different religious groups. That is part of the role of Secretary of Defense. At a bare minimum, former Secretaries of Defense have had the experience, wisdom, and character to do that job. Mr.…”