[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5300-S5310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUESTS--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Ms. ERNST. Madam President, our next nomination is a fine officer
serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Our colleague from Alaska,
Col. Dan Sullivan, also serves in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. I will
read a little bit about this gentleman, and we will take an individual
vote on the floor this evening, I am hoping, because this gentleman
does deserve to be promoted and placed into his next position.
So this gentleman is Maj. Gen. Leonard F. Anderson IV, U.S. Marine
Corps Reserve, to be Lieutenant General and Commander of Marine Forces
Reserves, Commander Marine Forces, South.
So here is a little bit about the good General. The Major General
most recently served as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine
Aircraft Wing. He does have some prior experience as well in serving as
the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations,
but Major General Anderson also served in a marine aviation logistics
squadron. So it is interesting that the Executive Calendar number for
Maj. Gen. Leonard F. Anderson is 248 as I also--not in the Marines, but
I served in an aviation support battalion, which is a logistics
battalion, supporting aviation, the 248th Aviation Support Battalion.
This gentleman has
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served in the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron, and his experience
has allowed him to support those men and women who are in the air,
similar to the circumstance we talked about prior with a pilot who
provided close air support during combat. These are the guys and gals
who keep those aircraft up, flying, fueled, maintained--ready to go.
So this is an important position he is going into. It is the Marine
Forces Reserves, Commander Marine Forces South, and I am hoping we will
be able to take a vote on him this evening.
Therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following
nomination: Executive Calendar No. 248, Leonard F. Anderson IV to be
Lieutenant General and Commander Marine Forces Reserves Commander,
Marine Forces South; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. OK, Madam President. We are just going to keep going. We
have quite a few exceptional men and women who are proud to defend our
glorious Nation. Many of them, again, have served in combat. We just
came out of 20 years of the Global War on Terror, and we know what
service is. Many of us know what service is. The Presiding Officer--her
father certainly knew what service was, so I thank him very much for
his service to our Nation.
So we will proceed to Executive Calendar No. 262, Timothy D. Haugh. I
apologize to the gentleman if I am mispronouncing his name. It is H-A-
U-G-H. He is a member of the U.S. Air Force, and he has been nominated
to be the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National
Security Agency.
At a time when we see many nations around the world using grey-zone
techniques to infiltrate various infrastructures in the United States
of America and that of allied nations, we know how important Cyber
Command is to protect not only our military assets but then to track
and push back against those foreign agents who are going after civilian
infrastructure as well.
Lieutenant General Haugh's 32-year career has been exemplary, and he
has commanded intelligence and cyber commands at every level as the
Commander of 16th Air Force, Air Forces Cyber, and Joint Force
Headquarters-Cyber, where he was responsible for more than 44,000
personnel conducting worldwide operations.
The Lieutenant General most recently served as Deputy Commander of
U.S. Cyber Command. Anyone, if they are paying attention, understands
how important Cyber Command is. Again, the Lieutenant General has
served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. We would love to
see him confirmed this very evening, with a single vote, into the
position of Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, and Director of the National
Security Agency--an extremely important position.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 262, Timothy D. Haugh, to be Commander, U.S.
Cyber Command, and Director of our National Security Agency; that the
Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and
that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid
upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the
Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Reed). Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, our next nominee as well is hoping to be
confirmed this evening, again, by an individual vote on the floor of
the U.S. Senate. Just as my colleague has asked, has demanded, my
colleagues and I this evening are attempting to satisfy that demand for
single votes on the floor of the U.S. Senate. We are providing that
avenue of opportunity this evening and are hoping that we will see the
confirmations of some of America's finest fighting men and women, who
have absolutely nothing to do with the policy that has been proposed by
Secretary Lloyd Austin.
In front of us, we have MG Charles D. Costanza. He is a member of the
U.S. Army. He is being nominated as Lieutenant General and Commanding
General of V Corps.
Over Major General Costanza's 32-year career--again, another plus 30
years of experience and decorations during war--he has served as the
Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division, the Deputy Chief of
Staff for U.S. Army Forces Command, and the Director of Training for
the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff. Major General Costanza's
deployments include to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Major General Costanza has most recently served as Special Assistant to
the Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command.
Once again, as an individual vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate, I
ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for
the consideration of the following nomination of this fine individual:
Executive Calendar No. 290, Charles D. Costanza to be Lieutenant
General and Commanding General, V Corps; that the Senate vote on the
nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed,
the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. OK. We will move on to the next conferee, and we will
bring to the table now No. 291, James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant
General, and this is a fellow marine.
Mr. SULLIVAN. ``Oorah.''
Ms. ERNST. ``Oorah.''
OK. A fellow marine.
To my good friend and colleague, Col. Dan Sullivan, Senator Sullivan
of Alaska, we have Maj. Gen. James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant
General and Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources Headquarters
of U.S. Marine Corps.
Brigadier General Hanson has most recently served as the Mobilization
Assistant to the Director of Operations for Air Combat Command. A
number of us who serve in the Senate have worn the uniform of our
Nation and have deployed, and we understand how important these
activities are, especially when you have a good friend at Mobilization
and Operations for Air Combat Command.
Through the mobilization process, there are a lot of logistics there
in moving folks around. So we know that Brigadier General Hanson is
very well qualified to move into this position at Programs and
Resources at the Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps. He has served
in numerous positions at the squadron, the group wing, and numbered Air
Force and Combatant Command levels as an Active-Duty and traditional
Reservist and individual mobility augmenting member.
General Hanson has flown the A-10 and F-16 in a variety of
operational assignments and is a command pilot with more than 3,400
flying hours and over 200 combat hours. He has deployed in support of
Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, Willing Spirit,
and Enduring Freedom.
Mr. President, I bring forward to you for an individual vote on the
floor of the U.S. Senate, as requested by my colleague. I ask unanimous
consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the
consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 291,
James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant General; that the Senate vote on
the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if
confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon
the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's
action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
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The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. SULLIVAN. It is good to see the Presiding Officer in the Chair. I
appreciate his being here.
Mr. President, several of my nominations that I have been trying to
get my colleague to agree with--again, he still hasn't answered the
quote ``If they want to vote on these nominees one at a time, I am all
for it. I will probably vote for them.'' He still hasn't answered that.
We are doing it. We are doing it. This is not a joke either. We are
watching the experience of America's greatest military generation
probably since World War II just kind of being flushed down a river
right now. Just listen to this.
Now, the one thing that is really disturbing to me is how many of
these nominees are from the U.S. Navy. My dad was in the Navy. I love
the U.S. Navy. But we know that the Navy right now is being stressed.
The President sent two carrier strike groups over to the Middle East.
We need carrier strike groups in the INDOPACOM.
President Biden--and I criticize him a lot for this--is shrinking the
Navy. That is idiotic. But our Navy officers and enlisted are going
through a really stressful period because they are needed all over the
world, and they are ready or are trying to be ready for any kind of
contingency. It is tough to do a 9-month deployment and then come
around, do the maintenance, and get back at it.
But what I have been noticing is how many of these holds are
impacting the Navy. I am going to go through like five more right now.
I just did five. If we want to be a global, capable, powerful nation,
especially today, you need a strong U.S. Navy.
And the idea of reading these military members' experiences and how
there is this big jam-up now, that this is not impacting readiness is
patently absurd--patently absurd--with all due respect to my colleague.
So let's just keep talking about the Navy and the men and women in
the Navy and the great experience that they have. We need a lot of help
from the Navy right now, and we have the Senate making leaders in the
Navy sit on the bench. So let's talk about some of these leaders, and
maybe my colleague will budge--maybe my colleague will budge.
Let's talk about James E. Pitts to be Vice Admiral and Deputy Chief
of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities,
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Admiral Pitts, a 38-year
career in the Navy--there you go, 38 years--let's sit him on the bench
during this really difficult time. It includes extensive numerous
deployments on nuclear attack submarines. Do you think we need that
experience in the South China Sea right now? That is one of our great
strategic advantages over the Chinese--notably, as the Commander of USS
Tucson and the Submarine Squadron 7 and a number of shore assignments
in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval Submarine School,
and the Joint Staff.
So we have one of America's top naval submarine-experienced Admirals,
which is exactly what Xi Jinping and the Chinese fear, and he is
sitting on the bench over a dispute, which is a serious dispute. I
don't deny that at all. Again, I am where the Senator from Alabama is
on that. But these guys have nothing to do with it. All we are doing is
hurting our own national security by keeping them on the bench.
So let's get him confirmed right now. I ask unanimous consent that
the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the
following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 197, James E. Pitts, to be
Vice Admiral and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting
Requirements and Capabilities, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations;
that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or
debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made
and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of
the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, here we go again, more Navy. Like I
said, the Navy is stressed, but we do have a great Navy. God love the
U.S. Navy. And our submarine force, like I said, keeps Xi Jinping and
his communist dictator admirals up at night. And it should because we
could crush them with our Navy, as long as it is ready--as long as it
is ready.
Well, let's see whom we have next, whom we are holding up next. RADM
Robert Gaucher, U.S. Navy, to be Vice Admiral and Commander, Naval
Submarine Forces Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet,
Commander of Allied Submarine Command. It sounds like a pretty darn
important bill, if you think subs are important, which they are
critical.
Let's hear about Admiral Gaucher. He is currently Director of
Strategic Integration, the N2, the Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations. Admiral Gaucher's prior operational assignments include
service in both fast attack and ballistic missile subs. Who has that
experience? No one else in the whole world but our Admirals. It
includes service as a division officer, USS Flying Fish, SSN-673;
navigator operations officer, USS Oklahoma City, SSN-723; executive
officer, USS Maryland; commanding officer, USS City of Corpus Christi;
and Commodore of Submarine Development Squadron 5.
I certainly hope that this isn't one of these Admirals who is going
to be like: You know what, 35 years, I have all of this experience, I
am sick of this. I am leaving.
Could you imagine if this Admiral, with this submarine experience,
walked out the door because of the games being played right now? That
is a risk. That is a risk, and we don't seem to give a damn. I give a
damn.
During these tours, he completed three strategic deterrent patrols in
U.S. submarines, as well as deployments to the Arctic--my
neighborhood--the Caribbean, North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean.
This is incredible submarine experience.
By the way, Xi Jinping is watching us right now going: I can't
believe they are not letting these guys command. I am scared to death
of subs.
He is loving this, so is Putin. They are loving it. How dumb can we
be, man?
But we can confirm this guy, if my colleague just has a change of
heart, because we are going to bring them up individually.
So, therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 204, Robert M. Gaucher, to be Vice Admiral and
Commander of Naval Submarine Forces Commander, Submarine Force, U.S.
Atlantic Fleet, and Commander of Allied Submarine Command; that the
Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate;
that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid
upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the
Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, we are going to continue with the U.S.
Navy. Again--I just thought of this--the Chinese admirals and their
military, they are probably watching this debate right now, going: I
can't believe my luck. I can't believe our luck. Maybe we should attack
Taiwan tomorrow.
The whole Navy is being held up. Let's go to another Navy officer.
This is Daniel W. Dwyer to be Vice Admiral and Deputy Chief of Naval
Operations for Warfighting Development, Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations.
OK. We have had a lot of good bios here tonight, with a lot of
experience. When I saw Vice Admiral Dwyer's experience, I was like:
Wow. This should scare the heck out of every Chinese admiral, every
Chinese military official when they read this guy's bio.
So let me read it. I hope we can get him confirmed because he is
sitting on the bench, and the Chinese are cheering.
Over Vice Admiral Dwyer's 35-year naval career--there we go; 35
years, 40 years--he has commanded Strike
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Fighter Squadron, VFA-27; Provincial Reconstruction Team, Kunar
Province, Afghanistan; Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-106; Carrier Air
Wing 8; Carrier Air Wing 17.
As a flag officer--that means as an Admiral--Admiral Dwyer commanded
the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, the big stick that every
country in the world, including China, fears. He commanded the Teddy
Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. That is unbelievable experience. And he
was the 36th Chief of Naval Air Training.
Vice Admiral Dwyer is a career F/A-18 naval aviator, a graduate of
the Navy Fighter Weapons School, a.k.a. TOPGUN, in which he completed
eight carrier deployments to the Western Pacific, North Atlantic,
Mediterranean, and North Arabian Sea, supporting Operation Southern
Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn, flying over 75
combat missions.
Vice Admiral Dwyer was most recently the Commander of the Second
Fleet and Joint Forces Command.
Xi Jinping reads about a guy like this, and he is scared to death,
and we bench him over a dispute Vice Admiral Dwyer has nothing to do
with. But maybe we can fix that right now.
So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 180, Daniel W. Dwyer, to be Vice Admiral and
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, Office of
the Chief of Naval Operations--so dammed qualified; that the Senate
vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if
confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon
the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's
action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, here we go, crushing the Navy. Here is
another Navy Admiral that we are going to have him sit on the bench.
This is kind of remarkable. I mean, we are going to get to about 60 of
these tonight. The experience here is unbelievable, but the U.S. Navy
is really being hurt by this, and we need a strong Navy.
Again, the Chinese are like--they are watching it, I guarantee you.
Hello, guys.
And they are like: Gosh. I can't believe how dumb these guys are.
So let's keep talking about whom we are going to bench now. This is
Douglas G. Perry to be Vice Admiral and Commander of Second Fleet,
Commander of Joint Forces Command Norfolk.
Let's look at Rear Admiral Perry's incredibly impressive career--over
30 years. He began his career serving as a sea division officer, Navy
diver, aboard the USS Pittsburgh, SSN-720; executive officer,
operations officer aboard Submarine NR-1; and executive officer of the
USS Maine. These are all subs. This is another great Admiral with great
submarine experience, just what keeps the Chinese up at night, and we
are going to bench him. That is SSBN-741.
His deployment experiences span the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the
Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific--essentially, the whole world. As
commanding officer of the USS Pasadena, SSN-752, he led the ship on
highly successful deployments to the Eastern and Western Pacific.
Again, that is a sub.
Perry has served as Commander of the Submarine Development Squadron
5, where he led Submarine Force Development of Unmanned Systems and
Tactics and Employment and commanded the Navy squadron of Seawolf-class
fast-attack subs. These guys are all submariners. The Chinese are
scared to death of them, and we are benching them. What are we doing?
Most recently, Perry served as Director of Undersea Warfare Division
of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He is another great
submariner to keep Xi Jinping up at night, and we are not going to
allow him to get confirmed. But maybe we will.
So, Mr. President, as my colleague had asked, we are bringing
individual votes. He still hasn't answered the question why he is not
doing what he said he was going to do. I ask unanimous consent that the
Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the
following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 205, Douglas G. Perry, to
be Vice Admiral and Commander of Second Fleet and Commander of Joint
Forces Command Norfolk; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I have one more before I turn it over to
my colleague from Iowa. It is a joint operation here. The only reason I
am doing one more is because, guess what, another Navy officer--another
Navy officer. The Chinese are like: Man, I can't believe it. We have
been wanting to take out the U.S. Navy for decades, and the U.S. Senate
is doing it right now.
So what do we have here, another Vice Admiral, VADM Craig Clapperton,
U.S. Navy, to be Vice Admiral and Commander of Fleet Cyber Command,
10th Fleet Commander, Navy Space Command--boy, oh boy.
He has had almost 35 years in the U.S. Navy. He has commanded the
Shadowhawks of VAQ-141, the U.S. 6th Fleet, and the NATO command ship,
USS Mount Whitney, the USS Theodore Roosevelt. That is a carrier,
Carrier Strike Group 12.
These guys are incredible. As an American, it makes you almost want
to weep, how great they are.
Listen to this career: During his command tours and his ship and
squadron tours, he supported Operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom,
New Dawn, Inherent Resolve, and operated in the Baltic, Black Sea,
Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean.
Some of the best naval officers in America, certainly, right here,
tonight. And the Chinese are scared to death of Vice Admirals like
this, and we are going to let them sit on the bench. But maybe not. So
we can confirm him right now by voice vote, individual voice vote,
which is what our colleague has asked for.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar
No. 138, Craig A. Clapperton to be Vice Admiral and Commander, Fleet
Cyber Command; Commander, Tenth Fleet; and Commander, Navy Space
Command; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening
action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table and the President be
immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from Iowa.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, so I am going to pick up where my colleague
is leaving off. We will keep on with the Space Force theme as we go
forward here.
I am bringing forward another really fantastic nominee, and this is
Maj Gen Douglas A. Schiess. And I apologize again if I am getting these
names wrong, but, heck, maybe we will get them confirmed tonight, and
we won't have to read it again on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
So Maj Gen Douglas A. Schiess, U.S. Space Force, to be Lieutenant
General and Commander, U.S. Space Forces--Space/Combined Joint Force
Space Component Commander--again, serving in a joint force, just as
Senator Sullivan and I are operating as a joint force here on the floor
of the U.S. Senate.
We have another really great nominee with a lot of years of service
to this incredible country. He has a 31-year career. And we have heard
a lot of these guys. They are 30-plus. We have seen some lower officers
just being promoted to Brigadier General. But let me tell you, these
men and women who have over 30 years of service are to be commended. As
my colleague from
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Alaska has said, they have been put on the bench. I would think we
would want the players with the most experience, the most finesse, the
means to get a job done--I think we would want them in the game.
So Maj Gen Douglas Schiess has that 31-year career. He has commanded
4th Space Operations Squadron. He has been with the 45th Operations
Group, the 21st Space Wing, and the 45th Space Wing. He deployed to Al
Udeid Air Base in Qatar in support of Operations Enduring Freedom,
Resolute Support, and Inherent Resolve. Most recently, he served as the
Vice Commander for Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force.
Those who have paid attention in the last handful of years as we have
developed our U.S. Space Force understand that this is a very important
domain moving forward. So not only do we have land, sea, and air; now
we have space as well.
I am very hopeful that we will move forward on this nomination--
again, 31 years of honorable service. He certainly deserves to be
placed in this position of authority, Mr. President.
So I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive
session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive
Calendar No. 392, Douglas A. Schiess to be Lieutenant General and
Commander, U.S. Space Forces--Space/Combined Joint Force Space
Component Commander; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, we will move on to the next individual
vote, as requested by my colleague from Alabama. Here we are moving on
the floor of the U.S. Senate. I am glad to be joined by a number of
colleagues in the Chamber this evening to support our men and women in
uniform.
I do want to make the point--because we continue to talk about these
incredible nominees and their service to our Nation during times of war
and times of peace--I do want to bring it back to the reason that we
are here. It is because of the abhorrent policy that has been put into
our Department of Defense by a political nominee, Secretary Lloyd
Austin. He is the civilian in charge of the Department of Defense.
Again, it is about an abortion policy that has been placed in the
Department of Defense.
I will remind everyone once again that I am a pro-life woman. I am
also a veteran and a combat veteran, at that. I do believe in
protecting innocent life. I will continue to fight for innocent life.
It was my amendment that was taken up in the Armed Services Committee
earlier this year as we debated this policy during the debate on the
National Defense Authorization Act.
I have been a pro-life leader for well over 30 years now, since I was
a young woman going through Iowa State University; making my career in
the civilian workforce; then going into the Iowa Senate, where I was a
proud defender of life; and now into the U.S. Senate, where I continue
fighting for life in ways that make sense.
We have civilian nominees who can be held and held responsible for
this very, very bad policy at the Department of Defense. The men and
women who are being brought forward tonight by Senator Dan Sullivan, by
Senator Todd Young, by Senator Lindsey Graham, and myself, they have
nothing to do with the DOD abortion policy--nothing to do with the DOD
abortion policy.
I have joined in life marches. I have given life speeches. I have
objected to the practice of abortion, late-term abortion, in Western
Iowa, in Council Bluffs. I have done this, as I said, for three
decades--three decades. I challenge anybody in this Chamber to be more
pro-life than I am or more military than I am. I have served, and I
have borne a child.
So our next nominee is Michael Guetlein. He is a Lieutenant General,
U.S. Space Force, to be General and Vice Chief of Space Operations--
another incredible individual, a 32-year career. He also has served in
command, leadership positions, at the flight, squadron, division,
directorate, Program Executive Officer, and field command levels.
Lt Gen Guetlein's commands include the Director of Remote Sensing
Systems and the Commander for the Rapid Reaction Squadron. Lieutenant
General Guetlein most recently served as the Commander of Space Systems
Command.
So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 292, Michael A. Guetlein for appointment to the
grade of General with assignment as Vice Chief of Space Operation; that
the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate;
and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and
laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the
Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, we will continue again with the U.S. Space
Force theme.
We have another gentleman: Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting of U.S. Space
Force to be General and Commander of U.S. Space Command--again, a very,
very important position to have. As we are working in the gray zone
areas, we need to know that our space assets are protected, and we have
the right man for the job.
So this is Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting. He has a 34-year career as a
Space Operations Officer. He has commanded the 13th Space Warning
Squadron, the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and Joint Space
Operations Center, the 21st Space Wing, and the Combined Force Space
Component Command and 14th Air Force.
Lieutenant General Whiting most recently served as the Commander of
Space Operations Command--again, a gentleman who has absolutely nothing
to do with DOD abortion policy, a man who has honorably served his
country in uniform for 34 years.
We are probably going to see and witness the back-benching of Lt Gen
Stephen N. Whiting this evening, but, as my colleague from Alaska says,
maybe not. Maybe we will see a man of honor step forward and voice vote
on the confirmation of this officer by allowing us to move forward
individually, as requested, on votes on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 328, Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting for appointment
in the U.S. Space Force to be General and Commander, U.S. Space
Command; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening
action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table and the President be
immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, this one hits home. It is another nominee
from the Navy. Hey, I am Army, but I love my Navy brothers and sisters.
I love them all. This one is a Navy sister.
This is Executive Calendar No. 347, Heidi K. Berg to be Rear Admiral.
RDML Heidi K. Berg has--and as I was reading through these nominees,
this struck me because she has an over 30-year career.
Now, I know--because I was commissioned over 30 years ago--I know
what a difficult climb it has been for women who were entering into the
U.S. armed services at that time. Those women who entered in the
seventies, eighties, nineties--they were trailblazers. They
increasingly were put into positions of authority.
This Rear Admiral, Heidi Berg, has commanded in some very significant
positions. She has commanded the Navy Information Operations Command in
Bahrain, the Navy Element of
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the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Joint Military Intelligence
Training Center.
Rear Admiral Berg's operational tours include Navy Security Group
Activity in Rota, Spain, where Berg flew over 1,000 hours as a
Communications Intercept Evaluator on board EP-3E aircraft in support
of Operations Provide Promise/Sharp Guard, aboard the USS LaSalle,
Italy, and as Director of the International Security Assistance Force
Red Team at ISAF headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Most recently, Rear Admiral Berg served as the Assistant Deputy Chief
of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy. And, again, we
have had a number of women who have been brought up this evening in
this debate, many of them having decades-plus experience. And I can
tell you that women who were commissioned and have served over these
last number of decades, they are to be commended. They have broken down
barriers and allowed other women to see her and be her.
So for You, Admiral Heidi K. Berg, I commend you.
And I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive
session for consideration of the following nomination: Executive
Calendar No. 347, Heidi K. Berg, to be Rear Admiral; that the Senate
vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if
confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon
the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's
action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. And there is another one that, as I said, you can see her;
you can be her. Unfortunately, young ladies won't see her, at least for
a while.
Mr. President, I have a couple here more before I turn it back over
to my colleague from Alaska.
We are on a Navy theme again. So we have in front of us Michael T.
Spencer, to be Rear Admiral Lower Half. He is a Navy 06, a Captain in
the Navy, to be Rear Admiral (lower half).
Captain Spencer's 30-year naval career has been exemplary. He has
commanded VFA-102 and CVW-11 and served in leadership positions for
Fighter Squadron VF-211 Carrier Air Wing CVW-1 and VFA-213. His
deployments include aboard the USS Nimitz, the USS John C. Stennis, the
USS Enterprise, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and the USS George
Washington, and again, most recently, on the USS Nimitz.
Again, an admirable career. We are bringing him up for an individual
vote on the U.S. Senate floor, as requested by my colleague from
Alabama. So we will try once again.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar
No. 327, Michael T. Spencer, to be Rear Admiral (lower half); that the
Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate;
that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid
upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the
Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Another one that I have known for a number of years now--
this one is in the U.S. Army--and I am very proud to be able to bring
forward this nomination this evening--again, an individual vote on the
floor of the U.S. Senate, as asked by our colleague from Alabama. I
hope that we can get this one over the finish line tonight.
So this nominee is Executive Calendar No. 390. It is Douglas A. Sims
II. And he has been nominated to be Lieutenant General and Director of
the Joint Staff.
We have brought up so many incredible individuals this evening. All
of them are incredibly important positions.
Now, if you are familiar in the military, we do have a Joint Staff.
And as a Director, this gentleman would be making sure that that Joint
Staff operated seamlessly. Things just don't happen in the military,
especially when you don't have the right leadership in the right
positions.
So we have Lieutenant General Sims. He has a 32-year career. He has
served as the Commanding General of the First Infantry Division, the
Deputy Director for Regional Operations and Force Management, and the
Deputy Commanding General for Operation Freedom's Sentinel in
Afghanistan.
Let me say that again: the Deputy Commanding General for Operation
Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan. The weight of his authority.
Lieutenant General Sims has completed three deployments to
Afghanistan and two to Iraq. Most recently, Lieutenant General Sims, an
exemplary man serving in the U.S. Army, served as the Director for
Operations of the Joint Staff J-3.
Mr. President, I am going to try again. I ask unanimous consent that
the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the
following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 390, Douglas A. Sims II,
to be Lieutenant General and Director, Joint Staff; that the Senate
vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if
confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon
the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's
action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I just want to comment on my colleague
here--Joint Forces, Marine Corps-Army operation--but Senator Ernst was
talking; she is being very humble. She is such a strong leader on pro-
life issues in the Senate and such a strong voice. And I just wanted to
really commend her on that. We have had Senator Graham here before. I
am proud of my strong record on pro-life issues. I care deeply about
it.
Ironically--I mean, of course, we don't know, but I guarantee you--
both of us know in the military so well--that these 380 officers and
their families--I am sure not all but probably many, many--have very
similar strong views on that important issue. And it is ironic that,
somehow, they are being caught up in this, when you think about it. I
am sure it is really bitter for them.
It is not just pro-life; it is pro-military views that we have here.
And it is not just words. A lot of people just say: I support the
troops. No. We have lived it. That is why we are here. It is 10 at
night. That is why we have been on the floor for 4 hours. We have lived
it, and we have seen the heroes we are talking about today. And we have
seen their families.
When you join the military--I always tell my wife and three
daughters--you know, whether you are wearing a uniform or not, you are
serving. And sometimes--in my view, a lot of times--it is harder for
the spouse and the kids who are home when you have deployments and they
are caught up in all of this. We haven't even talked about them. They
are caught up, thousands of them--thousands of them. And there is
polling out right now that is showing that the kids of military
families, who are really the big pipeline in the continuing recruiting
and people wanting to join the service, that the numbers are declining
dramatically, where they are saying: You know what? I don't think I
want to do what mom and dad did. I think I am going to not do that.
Those numbers are declining. And this isn't helping. This isn't
helping.
And I will say another thing in terms of, you know, officers who are
dealing--I have talked--again, my grade, I am a senior Colonel. I
talked to some Brigadier Generals very recently who are in the Middle
East, some of whom are caught up in this. Guess what they are doing
right now. They are putting on flacks. They are putting on helmets.
They are taking incoming. Right? Just read the paper. And they
literally said to me: We can't believe that we are, like, taking
incoming again for our country and this is happening.
There is real bitterness. We better wake up. There is a recruiting
retention problem. And we better wake up to the fact that this is not
helping.
[[Page S5306]]
Again, my colleague--oh, no readiness problem. That is such baloney.
Baloney. And everybody knows it. Spend one day in the military, and you
know it. It really makes me frustrated. Really frustrated. Yeah, guys
taking incoming right now caught up in this. I have talked to them.
This is just not right. It is not right. We all know it. We all know
it.
Mr. President, let's continue on. Another important promotion: a
Major General in the U.S. Army, David Isaacson, to be Lieutenant
General and Director for Command, Control, Coms and Computers and Cyber
Chief Information Officer, J-6, for the U.S. Army.
By the way, that is another theme: subs, Navy, and a lot of cyber--a
lot of cyber, which is the new gray area of warfare as Senator Ernst
mentioned. And we are keeping our cyber leaders on the bench.
So let's hear about Major General Isaacson's 35-year career in the
U.S. Army. He has served as Deputy Commanding General of Army Network
Enterprise Technology Command--thank God for smart officers like that--
the Deputy Chief of Staff of the G-6 of the Army; Director of Network
Services and Strategy for the Department of the Army. Major General
Isaacson has multiple operational deployments, including Operation Just
Cause in Panama, Desert Shield, Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq,
Uphold Democracy in Haiti, several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,
supporting the Global War On Terrorism and overseas contingencies.
Major General Isaacson most recently served as the Director of
Manpower Personnel For Joint Chiefs.
Incredible experience right here. So let's move him. Let's move him.
We can do a voice vote. My colleague wanted voice votes on individuals.
He still hasn't answered the question why he is objecting to
everything.
So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Executive Calendar No. 391, David T. Isaacson, to be Lieutenant General
and Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer/Cyber
and Chief Information Officer, J-6, Joint Staff--I misstated it
earlier. That is not just for the Army. That is for the J-6. That is
for the Joint Staff of the U.S. Military. Wow. Really important--that
the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate;
that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid
upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the
Senate's actions.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, we haven't had a marine in a while. I
love the Marine Corps. It is not the big service, though, so we haven't
had as many marines. I will tell you this: This Colonel, Kelvin
Gallman, to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Marine Corps, he certainly
is not a paper pusher. He is not some woke guy. He is a warrior. He is
a warrior.
Let's read about Colonel Gallman: 29 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He served as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Marine Air
Group 26--MAG-26--personnel support detachment. Marine Tilt Rotor
Squadron, VMM-261. Those are Ospreys. Marine Aviation and Weapons
Tactics Squadron, MAWTS-1. Colonel Gallman has several deployments in
support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Here we go, another Marine hero--another Marine hero. By the way, he
has nothing to do with this--nothing. He sacrificed--I am going to read
what he did. And we are saying: Oh, these guys aren't the warriors.
What? Who the hell is saying that?
Colonel Gallman received the Air Medal with a Combat Distinguishing
Device for heroic achievement in connection with operations against the
enemy as a pilot of a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter while attached to
Marine Air Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, on 1 April, 2003, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, while
providing assault support under direct enemy fire for the U.S. Army 1st
Ranger Battalion, in a daunting quest to rescue a U.S. Army prisoner of
war from the Saddam Hussein hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq, and the
recovery of nine U.S. casualties, previously killed in action. This
mission served as one of history's most daring and successful prisoner-
of-war rescues.
Do I need to read that again for anybody? Pure courage. Pure heroism.
And what is happening here? This Colonel needs to be promoted to
Brigadier General in the Marine Corps.
By the way, that is really hard to do in the Marines. There are not
many Brigadier Generals.
Heroic actions. Combat Distinguishing Device flying a helicopter--I
guarantee it was at night. He recovered nine U.S. casualties previously
killed in action. He went and got dead Americans so they wouldn't be
left in the desert of Iraq. And this body is holding him. Come on.
Whatever you think about this issue--and we all agree with the
Senator from Alabama--this is not the guy to make a point with. Flying
at night recovering POWs and dead Americans--heroic actions--and the
U.S. Senate response is ``Thank you very much. You are not going to go
anywhere. We are going to punish you. Why? Because we can. Because we
feel like it.'' What a bunch of baloney.
Let's try to at least get this guy promoted. Let's try to get this
hero, Col. Kevin Gallman, U.S. Marine Corps, to be a Brigadier General
because he is not no woke paper-pusher, I guarantee you that.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Col. Kelvin W. Gallman to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Marine Corps
under Executive Calendar No. 95; that the Senate vote on the nomination
without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the
President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Let's move to the Air Force. Let's move for Scott L.
Pleus to be Lieutenant General and Director of Staff at the U.S. Air
Force. As you know, Mr. President, being an Army man, West Point grad,
Director of Staff of your service is one of the most important
positions in your service.
Let's look at Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus's remarkable career. He has 34
years in the Air Force. Lt. Gen. Pleus's time in the Air Force has
included serving as Director of Air and Cyber Space Operations and as
Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff. Lieutenant General
Pleus is also a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, with
combat hours earned during Operations Desert Fox and Southern Watch.
Most recently, Lieutenant General Pleus served as Deputy Commander for
U.S. Forces Korea--all forces, not just Air Forces--and Commander for
the Air Component in United Nations Command in Korea.
Again, phenomenal--phenomenal--American patriot. Thirty-four years.
And he is being benched at one of the most dangerous times since World
War II. This isn't hurting readiness? Come on. Mr. President, maybe we
can get him confirmed.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar
No. 184, Scott L. Pleus to be Lieutenant General and Director of Staff,
U.S. Air Force; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, let's go back to our great U.S. Navy.
CAPT Craig Mattingly to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the U.S.
Navy. Let's look at Captain Mattingly's 28-year career. He has led
Squadrons on deployments supporting EUCOM,
[[Page S5307]]
AFRICOM, and CENTCOM; areas of responsibility as commander of multitask
force groups. His major command was Commodore of Patrol and
Reconnaissance Wing 11. During his tenure as Commodore of CPRW-11,
supported global initiatives include the inaugural INDOPACOM
deployments of the MQ-4 Charlie Triton unmanned aerial systems in the
PA Poseidon Advanced Airborne Sensor--that is a sub hunter--as well as
the P-3C radar system.
Captain Mattingly's most recent assignment was serving as Senior
Military Advisor to the Secretary of the Navy. He is a naval aviator.
He hunts subs, Russian and Chinese subs. How long has he been doing
that? He has a little bit of experience here. Captain Mattingly--3,900
flight hours in P-3C Orions and P-8 Poseidon aircraft.
If you are a sub and you are an enemy of America, this guy has
tracked you. Again, subs. The Chinese are scared to death of P-8s, and
we have one of the best P-8 pilots in America, and he is on the bench,
and Xi Jinping and his communist dictator buddies are smiling.
Maybe we can get him done with a voice vote because our colleague
asked for individual votes. I think we are almost at 60 individual
votes right now--great Americans.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
CAPT Craig T. Mattingly to be Rear Admiral (lower half) of the U.S.
Navy under Executive Calendar No. 97; that the Senate vote on the
nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed,
the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, let's go back to the importance--you are
seeing some themes here. Navy, certainly. Boy, are we decimating the
U.S. Navy. Decimating. Unbelievable. I am just shocked at how many Navy
Admirals we are putting on the bench right now. The Chinese are
smiling. Whoa, are they smiling.
But this is another theme tonight, and, again, we didn't really plan
it, Senator Ernst and I; it is just what is happening. We have a big
military. Space ops. Cyber and space ops. That is another theme
tonight. It is a really, really important area of warfare. The Chinese
and Russians are gaining on us. We have the best, though. Here is
another one.
David N. Miller to be Lieutenant General and Commander, Space
Operations Command, U.S. Space Force. That is a really big, important
billet.
Maj Gen David Miller has an over 30-year career where he has
commanded at the squadron group and wing levels, including the 2nd
Range Operations Squadron, 21st Operations Group in the 46 Space Unit.
Most recently, Maj Gen Miller served as a Special Assistant to the
Vice Chief of Space Operations. This is a hugely important billet to
protect our entire country. He has incredible background in this area.
Space, cyber, missile defense--those have all been brought up
tonight, and all were shut down--without explanation, by the way. We
are bringing up individual votes. We still haven't heard why we are not
going to allow those to move.
But anyway, Mr. President, we can confirm this nomination right now
by a voice vote. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following
nomination: Executive Calendar No. 351, David N. Miller, Jr., to be
Lieutenant General and Commander, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space
Force; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening
action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table and the President be
immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, we have just a couple more to go as we wrap
up the evening. We have been reading off these nominations as fast as
our staff could get them to us, and I guarantee that my colleague,
Senator Sullivan of Alaska, and I would go all night if we could. We
won't keep you in the Chair, Mr. President.
But we have seen a number of really incredible human beings come in
front of us. Before I move on these nominations, that is what I want
all of us to remember.
For those who might be viewing this evening, those who will read
through this tomorrow, I want them to understand that these are human
beings. They are men and women who serve our country for all different
reasons.
I can't speak for Col. Dan Sullivan, but I know that when I decided
as a young woman to serve my country, it was truly because I wanted to
serve my country because I believe that our country provided great
opportunities for kids like me who came from nothing.
I literally came from nothing in Southwest Iowa. I am the first in my
family to graduate from a 4-year school. My brother did not have the
opportunity to go to college. He went into the workforce. My sister has
an associate's degree from a community college. My parents are both
high school educated, and I am blessed that they were high school
educated.
I had the great opportunity to attend an agricultural exchange while
I was at Iowa State University, and that ag exchange took me to the
USSR in 1989, to a place we now know as Ukraine. After living on that
collective farm with my Ukrainian brother and sister and their family--
no running water, no refrigerator, no car, no telephone. The kids I
lived with had never traveled off of the collective farm.
After that experience and coming back to the United States, I
understood that, growing up on a tiny little farm in Southwest Iowa,
that I was so very blessed to be an American.
My country afforded me all kinds of opportunities. Even though I came
from a family without means, I could do anything. And I tell you what,
when I was that kid, that 19-year-old kid who had traveled to the
Soviet Union and back, I can tell you that my grandparents, at that
time, would have never believed that that little kid would grow up and
become a U.S. Senator.
But what I took from that experience was that I was blessed. Dan was
blessed. Coach is blessed. I think all of us are blessed by virtue of
our birth and our citizenship here in the United States.
So it was that experience that led me into the U.S. Army ROTC Program
at Iowa State University because I didn't come from wealth or means,
but what I did have was my service. And I knew that I needed to give
back to my country and protect the values that we all hold dear. And I
do not question anyone who serves in this U.S. Senate. We are all sent
here for a purpose.
But I do know that many of these men and women whom we have talked
about tonight, they believe in their country as well. They are human
beings. Many of them have backgrounds just as I do. They are flesh and
blood, and they have chosen to wear the uniform and the flag of our
United States.
They have done that without any mental reservation. They have stepped
forward to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies,
foreign and domestic. And they do it because they believe in our
country. And it is really unfortunate that tonight these men and women
have been denied their promotions. We have done the best that we can to
honor the request of a fellow Senator that these nominations be brought
to the floor and voted on individually.
And I really respect men of their word. I do not respect men who do
not honor their word. We have brought forward nearly 60 nominees. Every
one of them have been denied an opportunity to move forward.
They have given more than most of us have. Certainly, they have given
more than I have in this Chamber. They have given more than Dan has
given in this Chamber. We talked about many that had over 30 years of
honorable service, and we are punishing them for what all of us here
believe to
[[Page S5308]]
be a very bad policy at the Department of Defense--a policy that they
have absolutely nothing to do with.
There are 379 nominations as of the end of October, concerning 375
general and flag officers here in the Senate for consideration. Of the
375 officers, 362 are currently impacted by a blanket hold as they wait
here on the Senate floor pending confirmation.
We gave opportunity to nearly 60 of them this evening. These military
families are in limbo. The families of 172 officers have been disrupted
by these holds. Again, these are men and women. They have families who
are being impacted. Their salaries are being impacted. Their
retirements are being impacted. They had forced cancelations of coast-
to-coast moves with homes that were sold. Many of them are now living
in temporary housing and paying out of pocket for storage without any
clarity about the length of time that they will be in this hold.
Many of their children were disenrolled from current schools and--
and--again, these are innocents--they are unable to reenroll in school
or enroll in a new school since they do not have a permanent address.
And there were many spouses who had employment that was terminated.
That is a kick in the seat. I was a military spouse. I understand how
difficult it is doing those PCS moves from duty station to duty station
because your country demands it and having to start your life all over
again.
So I am going to bring up these last two nominations, and maybe we
will see a result, again, bringing the nominations individually to the
floor of the U.S. Senate to be voted on. I anticipated a man of his
word would honor his word. We haven't heard an explanation. But I will
tell you, this was not time wasted tonight. I will do this all over
again. I will do it all over again.
I am bringing forward now Capt. Frederic C. Goldhammer to be Rear
Admiral (lower half) in the U.S. Navy, under Executive Calendar No. 97.
Captain Goldhammer has a 28-year career, actually over 28 years now,
and he has held several command positions, including while deployed
aboard USS Enterprise, USS Nimitz, and USS Eisenhower, supporting
Operation Southern Watch, Joint Endeavor, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi
Freedom.
Captain Goldhammer also completed Individual Augmentee assignments as
an Air Planning Officer for the Coalition Combat Air Operations Center
in Saudi Arabia, Liaison Officer to the U.S. Army's 18th Airborne Corps
in Afghanistan, and as a Combat Search and Rescue Watch Officer for the
U.S. Navy 5th Fleet staff in Bahrain.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Capt. Frederic C.
Goldhammer to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the U.S. Navy,
under Executive Calendar No. 97; that the Senate vote on the nomination
without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.
Ms. ERNST. And our final nomination this evening--so I mentioned that
I was a former military spouse, and Senator Sullivan had brought up
First Ranger Battalion. And those who have served around many of those
in the Rangers, they understand that there is a--there is a stanza of
the Ranger creed that is ``I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall
into the hands of the enemy.''
We have talked about those who have saved the lives of other men and
women in uniform. We heard about the marine who saved a life of many
other men and women in uniform and went to retrieve those who have
fallen so that they wouldn't forever be in the hands of the enemy.
We have heard about women who led the way, as well, with their
service and showing other young women that they could serve and do
great things for the Nation that has given them so much. We have heard
so many stories about heroics and combat, ``V'' for Valor, Silver Star.
We have heard brief resumes of warriors we really can't go into on the
floor of the U.S. Senate. Again, those of us who served understand why
we can't do that.
But these are people. They are human beings. They are flesh and
blood. They have done everything they possibly can and given more than
most for their country: duty and honor, their service, sacrifice for
this Nation.
And what is this body, this Nation doing to them? This will be
remembered. It is a dark evening. This will be remembered. I want to
thank them so much for their service to our country. We will continue
pressing forward because we will not leave them to fall. We will not
leave them to fall.
So, with that, I will turn the floor back over to my colleague and
thank you--oh, excuse me, I haven't completed this final nomination.
Mr. SULLIVAN. I have three more.
Ms. ERNST. Oh, we have more. We could go all night, Dan. We have done
it before.
But I am going to move on Col. Kevin J. Merrill to be a Brigadier
General in the U.S. Air Force. Col. Kevin Merrill most recently served
as the Deputy Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements
for Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command.
Previously, Col. Merrill was the Mobilization Assistant to the
Director of Operations for the Air Force Special Operations Command,
AFSOC.
Col. Merrill conducted around-the-clock HH-60G battlefield and
medical evacuation for coalition forces during Operation Enduring
Freedom. He most certainly did not leave a man behind. He led rescue
operations in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Rita and provided
24-hour combat search-and-rescue coverage for coalition assets during
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to
executive session for the consideration of the following nomination:
Col. Kevin J. Merrill to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force
under Executive Calendar No. 86; that the Senate vote on the nomination
without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, we have three more that we are going to
do. That will be 61 tonight. And Senator Ernst and I--and I know a lot
of our other colleagues want to join us--we are going to keep coming
down here. So let me get through these, and then I will have a few
words to conclude. And I want to thank the Presiding Officer for
staying late. I know you care about this issue as well.
This is Brig. Gen. Robert M. Blake, and he is being considered to be
promoted to Major General in the U.S. Air Force--again, incredible,
incredible background. He most recently served as the Mobilization
Assistant to the Commander Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale
Air Force Base, LA.
He has flown the C-130 H2 Hercules. He has amassed more than 4,500
hours in military aircraft, including combat sorties and tours in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Brig. Gen. Blake flew 16 total missions, including 12
air refueling sorties supporting C-5s and C-17s in Operation Enduring
Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. And he flew 10 missions in support of
humanitarian relief for operations for Operation Southern Watch and
Enduring Freedom.
Again, a transport aviation pilot, incredible. Just, I mean, we look
at these numbers like oh, no big deal--4,500 flying hours in military
aircraft. That is incredible experience for our military. So let's get
him confirmed. Let's get him confirmed by voice vote, right here,
individual, as our colleague requested.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Brig. Gen. Robert M.
Blake to be Major General in the U.S. Air Force under Executive
Calendar No. 88; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon
[[Page S5309]]
the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's
action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, another heroic Air Force pilot with
incredible experience. Let's just move on to Brig. Gen. Mitchell
Hanson. We are trying to get him confirmed to be Major General.
By the way, Senator Graham made this point at the beginning: All of
these military members went through their promotion board process. As
we all know, the military is kind of an up-or-out organization, right?
So for Brigadier General Hanson to go from Brigadier General to Major
General--a two-star General--that is really hard to do. These guys are
the best, right? We just kind of take it for granted. That is all done
by the military, in the military selection boards. They are picking
their own, but we have to confirm it.
So, again, think about the frustration--let me read about his
background--that they have done all this, the boards have met, they
said these are our top people, and we are going to keep promoting them.
Normally, for the last 200 years--by the way, as stated earlier,
there are a lot of holds. I have put holds on. No one has ever done a
blanket hold on every flag officer promotion for this long in the
history of America. Let me repeat that. There has never been
one-, two-, three-, four-star Generals and Admirals, a blanket hold on
all of them.
People have threatened it. They have done it for a couple of weeks,
but it has never been done for almost a year in the history of the
United States of America. That is a fact. Contemplate that one.
So let's look at Brigadier General Hanson's background. He most
recently served as Mobilization Assistant to the Director of
Operations, Air Combat Command. Brigadier General Hanson has served in
numerous positions at the squadron group wing in numbered Air Force.
That is getting bigger in each unit. You know that, Mr. Chairman, but
some people watching might not know.
Brigadier General Hanson has served as a reservist, an individual
mobilization augmentee member on the Reserve side of the military. He
has flown the A-10 and the F-16 in a variety of operational assignments
and as a command pilot, with more than 3,400 hours--again, just
enormous experience, flying over 200 combat hours.
He has deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Southern
Watch, Noble Eagle, Willing Spirit, Enduring Freedom. Brigadier General
Hanson executed 20 close air support combat missions supporting NATO
and international security assistance forces battling Taliban insurgent
fighters in Afghanistan.
He provided armed overwatch for dismounted infantry patrols--the
grunts on the ground looking up: Oh, my God, I got air cover. Thank
God.
He conducted convoy and helicopter escorts and responded to U.S.
infantry platoons on the ground receiving effective fire from an
insurgent machinegun team. He employed 160 rounds of 30 mike-mikes
against the insurgents and killed them all--killed them all. He saved
American grunt lives on the ground. Another hero. Another hero. So we
are going to put him on a bench.
By the way, it is a great way to say thanks for your service,
Brigadier General Hanson. We will just keep you on the icebox. Thanks
for your service. Very heroic.
But maybe my colleague will relent here. We are down to one more. So
maybe, maybe it will work.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Brig. Gen. Mitchell
A. Hanson to be Major General, U.S. Air Force, under Executive Calendar
No. 88; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening
action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table and the President immediately
be notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, the final one. It is so ironic. I didn't
mean it to be this way, but I am so proud of it. It is a U.S. Marine
Colonel--I am a U.S. Marine Colonel; these are my peer groups--to be
Brigadier General of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Let's read about Col. Richard Joyce to be Assistant Deputy Commandant
for Aviation, U.S. Marine Corps--again, another heroic American.
Colonel Joyce has deployed numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan and
served as the Commanding Officer of an attack squadron. He is a Cobra
pilot. That is an attack helicopter, the AH-1. He was Director of the
staff group for Gen. Robert Neller when he was the 37th Commandant of
the Marine Corps.
Colonel Joyce received the Air Medal with the combat distinguishing
device--that means heroism in combat--for heroic achievement while
participating in aerial flight as an attack helicopter pilot of an AH-
1--that is a Cobra helicopter--assigned to Marine Light Attack
Helicopter Squadron 169, deployed with Marine Air Group 40 in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom on 22 May 2009. He was under direct fire
from three different directions, with enemy forces effectively engaging
his aircraft--incoming from three different directions. He placed
precision fires on each of these enemy positions, destroying them and
providing direct relief to outnumbered friendly forces on the ground.
Not a paper pusher. Not a woke warrior. A real, true American hero
right here, and we are going to tell him: Stay on the bench.
Maybe not. This is the last one, Mr. President, No. 61 for the
night--a Marine Colonel to be promoted to Brigadier General, who has
nothing to do with this damn dispute on the floor here--nothing--and,
somehow, he is going to get caught up in this.
By the way, these are the kinds of guys I am hearing about. These are
my peer group. They are saying: You know what? Seven deployments, tough
on the wife and kids. I am getting stuck in an issue that I have
nothing to do with. I can't--you know what, I am punching out. I am
punching out.
So we are going to lose guys like this. We are going to lose guys
like this.
The Chinese, Putin, Xi Jinping--they are going to be like: Oh, my
God, I am so scared of a marine like this. He would come over and kick
the you know what out of the Chinese and Russians.
We are going to drive him out of the Marine Corps--drive him out of
the Marine Corps.
But maybe not--maybe my colleague will relent on this just last one,
just out of good grace. He still hasn't explained why, all that he said
about not blocking a single vote if you bring up nominees one at a
time. I am all for it. I will probably vote for them. We just brought
up 61, one at a time, in regular order. Come on.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session
for the consideration of the following nomination: Col. Richard D.
Joyce to be Brigadier General of the U.S. Marine Corps on Executive
Calendar No. 95; that the Senate vote on the nomination without
intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President
be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mr. SULLIVAN. I am just going to conclude. I am disappointed. We are
done here. We don't have any more for tonight, but I think this has
been enlightening. I think this has been enlightening because what we
have been able to do--hopefully, some people are watching in our great
Nation--is to distill to the people of the country: Look at how blessed
we are to have these incredible Americans. Look at how blessed we are,
how heroic they are.
So my message to our Generals and Admirals who are being held up:
Hang in there. Hang in there. Some of us have your back. We have your
back. We
[[Page S5310]]
will be coming here every night to try and get you guys confirmed.
I have been very honored to be here with Senator Ernst on the floor.
And I will tell you that I think she and I both have a feeling that I
think a lot of people have--but people who served, mostly--just the
love for our military, military families.
I am coming up, just at 30 years in the Marine Corps. The INDOPACOM
theater has been the bookends of my career. My first deployment was the
INDOPACOM, a Marine amphibious ready group, in the Taiwan Strait.
When the Chinese were threatening to invade Taiwan, we sent a Marine
amphibious ready group. I was on that as a young infantry officer, in
two carrier strike groups. And we went in the Taiwan Strait and looked
at the Chinese and said: Not today, guys. Not today. Not today. The
U.S. Marine Corps is here. The U.S. Navy is here. Don't even think
about it.
That was almost 27 year ago, and I am out at the Marine Force's
Pacific Command. In between, I have deployed as a staff officer in the
Middle East, in Afghanistan.
But I think, like Senator Ernst, the biggest honor of my life has
been serving and leading marines. I have a lot of good friends in the
Senate. I have met a lot of good people in the U.S. Senate. The best
people I have ever met in my life by far--not even close--are U.S.
marines. They are the best.
And I think what is happening right now--you know, the Marine Corps'
motto is Semper Fi, always faithful. And this body is not keeping faith
with our military right now. It is not, and the military knows it, and
they are frustrated.
So many of these officers had 30 years or more of experience,
thousands of years of experience we are putting on hold. The distinct
comparative advantages we have say, for example, in submarine forces in
the Indo-Pacific theater that the Chinese fear--they fear it--we are
putting that on hold.
So I am hopeful that my colleague who left, Senator Tuberville, can
work with us. I have been working with him for months. This is just
kind of a frustration moment, right? Enough. But I am hopeful we can
still work together. I am hopeful we can find a way forward. The idea
that I have been pitching to him: Hey, let's lift the hold on the men
and women who have nothing to do with this and put a hold on the Under
Secretary of Defense for Policy, who is in charge of the abortion
issue, and he is a civilian. That is the way to use the hold, not to
take out a Marine Corps Brigadier General who is a war hero.
So I am hopeful that we are going to make progress on that. We are
facing a really dangerous period right now, as you know, as Senator
Ernst knows, and we are impacting readiness. We are definitely
impacting morale, and that is readiness.
So, again, to my colleague saying, ``Don't worry; there is no
problem, no readiness problems,'' no offense, but that is just
ridiculous, and he knows it. We all know it.
So we are going to keep working this. I am honored to be on the floor
with Senator Ernst. I appreciate, Mr. President, your sticking around.
We are not done. If you are a flag officer--one-star, two-star,
three-star, or four-star General--we have got your back. We are going
to work this. We are going to work it. You deserve it, and our Nation
has to have it.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
____________________