[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                Nomination of Barbara McConnell Barrett

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, later today, the Senate will vote to 
confirm Barbara Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force. I have come to 
the floor directly from a meeting with her this morning.
  Ambassador Barrett has had an impressive career both inside and 
outside of government. Among other things, she has served as U.S. 
Ambassador to Finland, Deputy Administrator of the FAA, and as a member 
of the Civil Aeronautics Board. Most importantly, she has a deep 
understanding of the U.S. Air Force, thanks to her work as a civilian 
adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs.
  As a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on women in the 
services, she fought to expand opportunities for women in the military. 
She became the first civilian woman to land an F-18 on an aircraft 
carrier, which was part of a mission to demonstrate women's fitness to 
fly in combat. Thanks, in part, to her work in 1993, the military 
changed its regulations to allow women to fly combat aircraft.
  I am always particularly interested in making sure we have an 
outstanding Air Force Secretary because my State of South Dakota is 
lucky enough to play host to Ellsworth Air Force Base, home of the 28th 
Bomb Wing and future home of the B-21 bomber.
  Over the State work period in October, I was able to visit Ellsworth 
to sit down with the new commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, Col. David 
Doss, as well as CCM Rochelle Hemingway. We had a great discussion, and 
we had a chance to talk about the needs of the base going forward, 
including what will be needed as Ellsworth prepares to serve as the 
first home of the B-21.
  Ensuring that the base has the necessary resources and infrastructure 
to fully support the B-21 mission will be a priority of mine not just 
as we await the mission but for decades to come.
  Since I came to Congress, I have worked with the base and the Greater 
Rapid City community to build up Ellsworth. We have gone from fighting 
to keep the base open, to adding an MQ-9 Reaper mission and supporting 
the B-1 as a workhorse of the bomber fleet, to hosting the largest 
training airspace in the continental United States, and to being chosen 
to host both the B-21 training mission and first operational squadron.
  I am incredibly proud of all that Ellsworth airmen have accomplished, 
and I am looking forward to seeing everything the team at the base will 
be able to do in the future.