Remarks
Currently showing results related to America's Military
Senate Will Vote Today on VA and Military Construction Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act: "The veterans funding bill before us is the result of great work by another champion of veterans: Senator Kirk, Chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee. "Just like Senator Isakson's Veteran's Affairs Committee, the subcommittee led by the Senator from Illinois … Continue Reading
11.10.15
Defense Bill Retains Bipartisan Prohibition Against President Sending Guantanamo Terrorists to U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the National Defense Authorization Act: "We'll turn to legislation today that the men and women who currently wear our uniform have had to wait too long for. "When Senator McCain says that 'it is the first duty of the federal government to protect the nation,' he means it. He knows what it means to serve. He knows what it means to sacrifice. And in his role as Chair of … Continue Reading
11.10.15
Veterans Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding Veterans Day: "Like many of my colleagues, I plan to commemorate Veteran's Day with the people I'm honored to represent here in the Senate. I'll join Kentuckians at a ceremony in Shelbyville's Veteran's Memorial Park. "Hands will be put to heart as the Star Spangled Banner is played. Heads will bow in reverence as 106 names are read aloud. "Each, a Kentuckian who made t… Continue Reading
11.02.15
Fiscal Agreement Directs Resources to Ensure Safety, Preparedness of American Troops
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the two-year fiscal agreement: "I said that the Senate would take up the fiscal agreement after the House acted, and we are. "This agreement isn't perfect. I share some concerns other colleagues have raised. But here's the bottom line. This is a fully-offset agreement that rejects tax hikes, secures long-term savings through entitlement reforms, and provides increased support… Continue Reading
10.22.15
Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony Honoring the Monuments Men
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leaders of the U.S. House and Senate held a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony today honoring the Monuments Men. The following are Leader McConnell's remarks delivered during the ceremony, which took place in Emancipation Hall, in the U.S. Capitol: "A few years ago, Louisville's Speed Art Museum unveiled an exhibit entitled Kentucky Home: The Colonial Revival Houses of Stratton O. Hammon. "Since designing his first house as a teenager in the 1920s, Hammon went on to become on… Continue Reading
10.22.15
President’s Partisan Veto of Defense Bill Is Unacceptable, McConnell Says
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the President's veto of NDAA: "The President regularly calls on Republicans and Democrats to work together to advance the priorities of the nation. We agree. "Our top priority is our national security, and Congress worked together on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis to pass the National Defense Authorization Act. So while Americans were surprised to learn the Presiden… Continue Reading
10.07.15
In a Dangerous World, It’s ‘Essential’ President Sign, Not Veto, the Defense Bill, McConnell Says
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today in urging the President to sign the National Defense Authorization Act: "I was glad to see the Senate come together yesterday to advance the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act. "This bipartisan defense bill will support our men and women in uniform in many ways. "It will attack bureaucratic waste, and authorize pay raises and improved quality-of-life programs for our sol… Continue Reading
10.06.15
Defense Authorization Provides Tools to Protect America’s National Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor in support of the National Defense Authorization Act: "Henry Kissinger recently said that our country faces the most 'diverse and complex array of crises' since the Second World War. It's hard to disagree with him. "Consider the daily situation reports received by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs: "Taliban forces overrunning Kunduz in Afghanistan, retaking their first provincial capit… Continue Reading
09.30.15
Funding for Military and Veterans up Next in Senate
'The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill is one of the 12 pieces of appropriations legislation we must pass to properly fund the government.' WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today urging Senate Democrats to support funding for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs: "This morning, I said the American people are ready to see Democrats start supporting - not blocking - the very bipartisan fundin… Continue Reading
09.28.15
Democrat Filibusters on Spending Bills Prompt Need for Short-Term CR
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Continuing Resolution (CR): "A new Senate majority came to office this year with a different outlook on government funding from the previous majority. "First we passed a budget. "Then we worked across the aisle to pass through committee the dozen bills necessary to fund the government. "That's the first time either of those things had happened in six long years. "Our c… Continue Reading
09.22.15
McConnell Calls For End to Democrat Filibuster of Defense Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding defense appropriations: "Almost exactly a year ago, President Obama addressed the nation and declared his resolve to 'degrade' and 'destroy' ISIL. I'll speak more on that in just a moment, but there were two lines in that speech of particular relevance to the vote we're about to take: "'As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people,' he said… Continue Reading
07.08.15
Congressional Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leaders of the U.S. House and Senate held a Congressional Commemoration in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The following are Leader McConnell's remarks delivered during the ceremony, which took place in Emancipation Hall, in the U.S. Capitol: "Each morning, dawn breaks over the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort. "Bars of light stream across the dome. "A hall of democracy brightens with renewed purpose. "And overlooking it, light pours onto 200 tons of granite… Continue Reading
06.18.15
Support the Troops, Don’t Block the Defense Funding Bill, McConnell Tells Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor urging Democrats to support defense funding: "America asks a lot of the men and women of its volunteer military force: to undertake dangerous missions in far-off lands, to spend months or years away from their families, and always to sacrifice, so that we might live in freedom. "These brave men and women do it all without reservation. They ask precious little in return, save for the re… Continue Reading
06.11.15
Senate Democrats’ Plans for ‘Filibuster Summer’ Would Hold America’s Military Hostage
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today urging Senate Democrats to support American troops: "The bill the cyber measure has been offered to is the annual defense authorization act. "It's a related issue. It's about protecting our country. It makes sense to consider these issues together. "Now the defense bill is another measure that should be sailing to passage with strong bipartisan support. It does so almost every ye… Continue Reading
06.03.15
McConnell Urges Senate Democrats Not to Play Partisan Politics with Defense Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor urging cooperation on the defense bill: "Today, the Senate turns to consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2016. "This legislation, which authorizes funds and sets out policy for our military annually, is always important. But it's especially important now, given the multitude of threats that challenge us as a nation: for instance, the aggressive rise of ISIL, Iran'… Continue Reading
06.02.15
McConnell Opposes Bill that Weakens Counter-Terrorism Tools
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the USA Freedom Act: "Earlier this year I observed that President Obama's national security policy has been noteworthy for its consistent objectives: drawing down our conventional and nuclear forces, withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan, ending the tools developed by the previous administration to wage the War on Terror and placing a greater reliance upon international organi… Continue Reading
03.24.15
Senate Republican Budget Promotes Prosperous Energy Future, Strengthens National Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Republican budget that will help promote economic growth through energy advancement, and will add additional funding for America's national security needs: "Throughout the Obama era, families across the country have had to make a lot of tough decisions. "Lost jobs or lower wages meant doing more with less, and refocusing on what truly mattered. "It wasn't easy, but famil… Continue Reading
02.12.15
McConnell to Support Ashton Carter’s Confirmation as Secretary of Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the confirmation vote of Ashton Carter to be Secretary of Defense: "Later today, the Senate will consider the nomination of Ash Carter to be the next Secretary of Defense. If I could place one demand on him, it would be to leave his successor with our armed forces in a better position to deal with global threats than they are today. "As I've noted in the past, the overall con… Continue Reading
