Political Quotes

“Senator McCain, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, believes that $602 billion is not enough for the Department of Defense. Rather than reject unnecessary spending for weapons and other programs the Pentagon says it does not want or need, the Senator from Arizona not only says we should fund them, he also proposes to spend another $18 billion on defense. I will leave it to others to defend or contest the assumptions on which Senator McCain's amendment is based. But I do want to speak briefly in support of the second degree amendment offered by the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Reed of Rhode Island. Because if there is one thing we have learned over and over, it is that protecting U.S. national security is not only about a strong military that can respond when all other options fail. It is also about homeland security, including border control and maintaining critical infrastructure. It is about law enforcement within the United States. It is about cyber security. It is about educating the next generation of Americans and creating jobs that lead to advancements in science and technology. And it is about strengthening the capabilities of foreign partners and acting as a leader in international diplomatic efforts to prevent and respond to threats to global security. The fiscal year 2017 budget allocation for the Department of State and foreign operations is $591 million below fiscal year 2016.…”