On the recordDecember 6, 2022
Mr. President, I know the Senator from Kentucky and the Senator from Michigan are trying to work through some differences on a potential unanimous consent request, but I have asked them if I might make a few remarks if they are not quite ready yet, and they have graciously allowed me to do so. What I want to talk about is--it is December 6. It is 19 days until Christmas, and the 117th Congress is quickly coming to a close, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done in the meantime--first, the National Defense Authorization Act, which I hope will be the next order of business. You know, when people ask me, ``What are your priorities when it comes to representing the State of Texas in the U.S. Senate?'' I say: Well, it is clear there is one priority, and that is the strength and security and safety of our Nation and our way of life--to preserve and protect the peace and to protect the freedom of all Americans. The way we do that is through the National Defense Authorization Act. It is, I believe, the most important piece of legislation that we consider each year, among other important pieces of legislation. This is how we support our troops, how we support our military families in an all-volunteer military, how we maintain our military bases, how we modernize our weapons systems and airframes and invest in the next generation of weapons.…





