Kirk Watson: “I rise to speak on the Watson-Cummings amendment to section 595 of the National Defense Authorization Act. Our amendment…”

“I rise to speak on the Watson-Cummings amendment to section 595 of the National Defense Authorization Act. Our amendment would strengthen the Senior Military Leadership Diversity Commission by including the U.S. Coast Guard as part of the commission's membership and including them in the overall scope of the study. The U.S. Coast Guard has the worst diversity rates among minority commissioned officers of the Armed Forces. The Coast Guard's membership on the commission would help ensure that the study provides insight into ways to increase the number of minority senior commissioned officers within the services. Mr. Chairman, I thank Representative Cummings for working with me on this amendment, and ask our colleagues to support diversity within the Armed Forces by supporting this amendment.”