National Defense Authorization Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, let me commend and thank the chairman on his leadership. He began this process with great deliberation months ago by bringing together experts on defense organization--experts on military and strategic policy. Through a series of many hearings, we were able to craft significant legislation reforming the operations of the Department of Defense. We will now go to conference and begin to work to improve that legislation. I think improvements can be made with respect to the changes in the context of Goldwater-Nichols reorganization. But I think the chairman's leadership was absolutely essential and incredibly productive in this process.

We have had debate on a number of issues on the floor. I think we are now at the point where we should be, not only continuing our efforts to get this bill passed but, once again, underscoring the need to eliminate sequestration, which is looming on the horizon. When we don't have the relief afforded by last year's temporary agreement, we will be dealing with numbers that will not allow our military to perform their basic mission of protecting the United States. Therefore, we have to start working on this issue of sequestration. As I suggested, it applies not only to the Department of Defense but to other agencies of the Federal Government.

Through the very careful leadership of the chairman, we were able to come up with a working and I think workable compromise with respect to Russian engines without surrendering the basic principle that the chairman had enunciated that we should not be relying on Russian engines to send our technology into space.

As the chairman also indicated, there are several issues that we could not reach consensus on and which deserve not only a vote but in many cases deserve passage.

Senator Shaheen has worked tirelessly. I have never seen a colleague work so intensely, so thoughtfully, so professionally, literally going from office to office asking for support for the Afghan interpreters-- individuals who have already been targeted in many cases because of their help to the United States. If we don't have this legislation passed, then not only will we send a terrible message to these individuals who have served with us and sacrificed along with us, but also to succeeding generations who will not come to our aid because they are afraid of the consequences. So not only looking back at justice and equity for people who helped us but looking forward to being able to operate in not just Afghanistan but other areas of the world, I think it was necessary to not only bring up the Shaheen amendment but to pass it.

As the chairman pointed out, Senator Gillibrand has a very important amendment with respect to sexual assault in the military. She has done remarkable work with respect to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. She has worked very closely with many colleagues.

I must also thank Senator Claire McCaskill for her extraordinary efforts. There are many provisions in this bill that Senator Gillibrand has included, but there is one very important to her about the role of the commander. That issue deserves a debate. Like the chairman, I do not agree with the conclusion, but I certainly believe that she should have had a vote.

Senator Murray also came here with a very important amendment, cryopreservation for soldiers. As they go overseas and they do want to have a family, there is the risk in battle which could prevent that, and this is a procedure which would allow them not only to serve their country but in the event of them being wounded, they could still have a family. Again, many people have different views on this particular amendment, but I believe a vote would have been in order.

These are three issues, but these issues cannot undercut the incredible reforms that the chairman inspired with the bill and the thoughtful debate and ultimately the conclusion--strong bipartisan support for this initiative.

I want to thank the staff because we could not have done this without them. I want to particularly thank Chris Brose and all of his colleagues on the Republican side. They did a remarkable job.

I want to individually thank my staff: Jody Bennett, Carolyn Chuhta, Jon Clark, Jonathan Epstein, Jon Green, Creighton Greene, Ozge Guzelsu, Mike Kuiken, Gary Leeling, Kirk McConnell, Maggie McNamara, Mike Noblet, John Quirk, Arun Seraphin, and my staff director, Elizabeth King.

Let me thank the floor staff too. Without Gary and Laura and others on the floor, we would not have gotten to a conclusion.
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