[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 176 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRUMP PROMOTES STRONG MILITARY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 7, 2016

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as a son of a World War II 
Flying Tiger who served in India and China, a 31-year veteran myself, 
and the grateful father of four sons who served overseas in the Global 
War on Terrorism, I truly appreciated the remarks of President-elect 
Donald J. Trump in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on December 6, 2016 
promoting our military and our military families.

  Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by President-Elect Donald J. Trump

       I am here today for one main reason: to say thank you to 
     the people of North Carolina.
       You went out and pounded the pavement, organized your 
     fellow citizens, and propelled to victory a grassroots 
     movement the likes of which the world has never seen before.
       I want to give a very special thank you to the incredible 
     military families, service members and Veterans of North 
     Carolina.
       Your state's legacy of service is an inspiration to us all. 
     North Carolina has produced many of the finest soldiers, 
     airmen, sailors and marines the world has ever seen.
       Our men and women in uniform represent the very best of us. 
     We must follow their example: working in unison toward a 
     shared goal across every social, racial and economic line. 
     They understand that to accomplish the mission, we must all 
     be pulling in the same direction. And they know that we must 
     leave no man or woman behind.
       These patriots have shed their blood to defend our country 
     in distant fields of battle across the Earth. Our debt to 
     them is eternal and everlasting.
       We salute their sacrifice, and we salute the flag they 
     fought to protect.
       Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. It is a 
     milestone that marks the ultimate sacrifice of those who wear 
     the uniform. It is a reminder, too, of the valiant efforts of 
     America's fighting men and women who have liberated millions 
     from tyranny and oppression.
       Now, today, our brave men and women are the first line of 
     defense against Radical Islamic Terrorism--an ideology of 
     death that slaughters innocent men, women and children.
       In every generation, a new threat to freedom arises. And 
     just as we defeated the threats we faced in generations past, 
     so too will we defeat the forces of terrorism. We will 
     prevail.
       We stand here today just miles from Fort Bragg, the home of 
     heroes.
       Our Special Forces at Fort Bragg have been the tip of the 
     spear in fighting terrorism. The motto of our Army Special 
     Forces is `to free the oppressed' and that is exactly what 
     they have been doing.
       At this very moment, soldiers from Fort Bragg are deployed 
     in 90 countries.
       Based in Fort Bragg is the 82nd Airborne Division--also 
     known as The All-American Division.
       We stand in awe of their achievements.
       Not far from here sits forty-five percent of the entire 
     United States Marine Corps, at Camp Lejeune.
       12,000 citizen-soldiers fill the ranks of the North 
     Carolina Army and Air National Guard. The National Guard 
     rushed to the scene to help the victims of Hurricane Matthew, 
     and we continue to send our thoughts and prayers to those 
     recovering in its wake.
       The military families in North Carolina are a national 
     treasure, and it will be the duty of my Administration to 
     ensure that we protect those who protect us.
       That brings me to the second reason I am here today: to 
     discuss our Action Plan To Make America Great Again--
     beginning with the rebuilding of our military and taking care 
     of our Vets.
       Here are the priorities that will guide our Military and 
     Veterans Policy:
       --All men and women in uniform will have the supplies, 
     support, equipment, training, services, medical care, and 
     resources they need to get the job done.
       --The best care in the world for our Veterans, both at 
     public VA facilities, as well as the right to see a private 
     doctor.
       --And finally, a commitment to only engage the use of 
     military forces when it is in the vital national security 
     interests of the United States.
       From now on, it's going to be: America First.
       We will stop racing to topple foreign regimes. Instead, our 
     focus must be on defeating terrorism and destroying ISIS.
       Any nation that shares these goals will be our partner in 
     this mission.
       We want to strengthen old friendships and seek out new 
     friendships. Rather than a rigid dogma, we are guided by the 
     lessons of history and a desire to promote stability: this 
     destructive cycle of intervention and chaos must come to an 
     end.
       We seek harmony and goodwill among the nations of the 
     world--and we believe that respect for mutual sovereignty 
     helps form the basis of trust and understanding.
       We build up our military not as an act of aggression, but 
     as an act of prevention. We pursue and build up arms not in 
     order to seek conflict, but in order to avoid conflict.
       In short, we seek Peace Through Strength.
       That is why, in my first budget report to Congress, I am 
     going to ask for the elimination of the defense sequester.
       We will show the world that America is going to be strong 
     again.
       But in order to succeed with our defense policy, we must 
     find the right person to lead our Defense Department.
       That is why I am proud to formally announce today my 
     intention to nominate General James ``Mad Dog'' Mattis as the 
     next Secretary of Defense for the United States of America.
       Jim is a Marine Corps four-star general, the former 
     Commander of U.S. Central Command and NATO's Supreme Allied 
     Commander for Transformation. He led an assault battalion in 
     Operation Desert Storm, led the Forces that went after the 
     Taliban, and commanded the First Marine Division in Iraq.
       He is one of the most effective generals and extraordinary 
     leaders of our time, who has committed his life to his love 
     for our country. General Mattis is the living embodiment of 
     the Marine Corps motto, `Semper Fidelis,' always faithful, 
     and the American people are fortunate that a man of his 
     character and integrity will now be the civilian leader atop 
     the Department of Defense. Under his leadership, we will 
     rebuild our military and alliances, destroy terrorists, face 
     our enemies head on, and make America safe again . . .''

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