[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 25 (Thursday, February 11, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S834-S835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BUDGET AND DEFENSE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to make a few comments on the 
statements of the Republican leader, my friend. It is obvious that he 
has been reading the press and perhaps talking to some people on the 
House side. These people have created so many problems.
  This right, right, rightwing in the House of Representatives is now 
saying that what we did, having a 2-year budget, they want to change. 
They want to take money away from the middle class and give it to 
defense.
  I supported the North Korea sanctions. It is a good piece of 
legislation. I supported what we did in December. It was good 
legislation. But we decided that the military, as strong as it is, 
should remain strong but that we should give some equal footing to the 
middle class, and we did that.
  Now my friend the Republican leader is obviously trying to pave the 
way to increase defense funding and go against the middle class.

[[Page S835]]

  I am pleased he said some nice things about the Secretary of Defense, 
but it is very clear in his statement that he wants--obviously, he 
didn't say so, but it is pretty clear to anyone listening to him--
ground troops. The Special Forces are not enough. He wants more, and 
the American people don't want more ground troops.
  He also said it is too bad--I am paraphrasing what he said--that we 
are going to take away the ability to have enhanced interrogation. That 
is waterboarding and all that other stuff that doesn't work.
  John McCain was on the floor yesterday. Now if there is anyone in the 
world who should have some understanding about torture, he should. He 
was tortured not once but multiple times when he was a prisoner of war 
in Vietnam. He came yesterday--I have heard him before--and said: 
Torture doesn't work. We do better without torture.
  But again, that is what the Republican leader is talking about.
  I would remind those listening that President Obama has done a great 
deal to keep America safe and secure. There is no better example of 
that--there was a lot of talk previously about Osama bin Laden--than 
that Osama bin Laden is dead. It was done on President Obama's watch, 
at his direction.

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