[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 98 (Tuesday, June 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1964-S1965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            National Defense

  Finally, Mr. President, as I made clear last week, the government's 
work to provide for the common defense remains unfinished. President 
Biden's request for the defense budget is simply insufficient, given 
the major challenges that our country faces. We are

[[Page S1965]]

investing roughly half as much in defense today as a share of GDP as we 
were at the height of President's Reagan buildup in the mid-1980s.
  In the dangerous world that surrounds us today, this is wholly 
inadequate. Decades after the Cold War, the famous Reagan maxim--
``peace through strength''--still applies. But, unfortunately, the 
Biden administration's record on defending America, our partners, and 
our interests has been one of weakness and delay.
  Take, for example, the President's approach to helping Ukraine fight 
Russian invaders. At seemingly every opportunity--from the guided 
rockets to drones, to Abrams tanks--he hesitated to put decisive 
capabilities in Ukrainian hands until they were several steps behind 
the pace of relevance.
  Last month, the Biden administration finally authorized the transfer 
of F-16 fighter aircraft, but, as with the tanks, they waited too long 
for these highly capable systems to be ready for a counteroffensive 
anytime soon, making it more likely--more likely--that this conflict 
becomes a stalemate or worse, instead of a Ukrainian victory.
  And the President continues to avoid authorizing other key 
capabilities, like longer range fires and cluster munitions, even 
though Russia is already using them against Ukrainian forces.
  The consequences of these misjudgments are not limited to Ukraine 
itself. The same adversaries who watched President Biden's botched 
withdrawal from the battlefield in Afghanistan are watching the West 
for signs of weakness in Ukraine. America's friends in the Indo-Pacific 
know that along with robust investment in real military capabilities, 
the best way to deter aggression from China is to help Ukraine defeat 
aggression from Russia.
  Tomorrow, the President will welcome Prime Minister Sunak of the 
United Kingdom to Washington. The special relationship between our two 
countries is a source of strength in the face of shared threats around 
the world. Anglo-U.S. cooperation, including with Australia in the 
Indo-Pacific, will help shape the next century of strategic 
competition. I hope President Biden will recommit to standing with 
America's closest allies and partners in confronting shared threats.

  Congress must commit ourselves to equipping our military with the 
capabilities it needs to control growing threats from China, Russia, 
Iran, North Korea, and terrorists emboldened by America's retreat from 
Afghanistan.
  Keeping America safe, keeping America fed, and keeping the lights 
on--our responsibilities are crystal clear.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.