Political Quotes

“again, with the indulgence of my colleagues, if I might, just for a moment, call to the attention of my colleagues the several provisions of the Defense authorization bill we are going to consider for final passage today. These provisions will have a major impact on our defense structure and performance in the years to come. These reforms were previously included in a bill I introduced with Senator Lindsey Graham in May, S. 1025, which Senator Graham and I nicknamed ``Guard Empowerment II.'' As cochair with Senator Graham of the Senate National Guard Caucus, I am pleased to report that the most important of these Guard empowerment reforms are included in the final version of the Defense authorization bill. They include a provision that will make the Chief of the National Guard Bureau a statutory member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Chiefs--our highest military policy council--has not added a member since 1978--and I remember that because I voted for it--when the Commandant of the Marine Corps was finally added as a full participant. This is truly a historic day for the National Guard and for all the Guard does for our Nation. One might ask: Why now? Why is this change so important? Our Guard has been bravely serving in near constant rotation with Active-Duty Forces overseas for the last decade. Each of us has gone to Afghanistan or Iraq and seen our Guard serving. At the same time, these Guard troops have been the military's first responders at home.…”