On the recordFebruary 15, 2017
Mr. President, I rise today to support the nomination of Congressman Mick Mulvaney and ask my colleagues to vote to confirm him as the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget. It may not surprise folks that I have a markedly different viewpoint than the Senator from New Hampshire. Congressman Mulvaney wants to save Social Security and Medicare. Congressman Mulvaney wants to prevent, stop the mortgaging of our children's future, the bankrupting of America. One thing on which I do agree with the good Senator from New Hampshire is that we need to concentrate on economic growth. It is the primary component of the solution. But this Nation faces many, many challenges. From the standpoint of foreign policy, take a look at what is happening around the world, the turmoil in so much of the world. We are in a generational struggle against Islamic terror, against ISIS, al-Qaida. Iran--that nuclear agreement was horrible. It modified the behavior for the worse. We have just witnessed North Korea test-fire another missile. Combined with their nuclear capability at some point in time--probably not in the too distant future--they will threaten America. China has been emboldened. Russia has become more aggressive. Why? Because in so many instances, these nations perceive America as weaker than we once were, lacking the strength and resolve to provide the leadership, project our values around the world.…





