Corrosive damage to our National Security is not the result of objective factors, logic or reason. Its not that we have some new breakthrough in military technology or some novel strategic insight that somehow provides the same security for a smaller budget. Its not that sequester is forced upon us that makes taking grave security risks absolutely necessary. Its surely not the case that the world has suddenly become more stable. Or that america has less to do to keep it safe. Allowing us to take a peace dividend. Its not even that these cuts solve the nations overall fiscal challenges because the sad math is that theyre large and sudden enough to damage defense but fail to resolve our longterm fiscal issues and the real drivers of the deficit and debt. Sequester was not the result of objective factors. Sequester is purely the fallout of political gridlock. Its purpose was to compel prudent compromise on our longterm fiscal challenges. Compromise that never came. This has been compounde
Some of us still believe in battleships, and we are not sure that alaska should have ever been made a state. [laughter] senator king p request with some trepidation, mr. Chairman i want to associate myself with the senator from alaskas questions. The arctic is emerging as any normally important and strategic area. We have one heavy icebreaker and one medium icebreaker. The estimates are the russians have 710 icebreakers. That is just basic infrastructure. And the resources up there and the strategic implications are enormous, so i appreciate the senator raising the question. We have to put the discussion into context in terms of your budget. This chart, which im sure youre familiar with, is the last 50 years of defense spending as a percentage of gdp. Starting in 1962 at about 9 , today it is 3. 3 and headed down , at a time of increasing threat and payroll for our country. Often we get confused about the absolute dollar amounts, but a percent of gdp as a way of comparing apples to app
D. C. , not by the government or not by any any local agency. So, it is it is one of those difficult questions that i think is going to take a lot more work than 90 days to resolve. Susan final comment . Sari i just wanted to add one thing that seemed important today, especially because commissioner ramsey is not here. When this report came out, a lot of Police Officers were very upset because they felt it was a broad rash and painted a very negative picture of the police. And i asked lee went through the Police Academy and through the fbi training to see and understand it. And i went to Firearms Training when you go through a simulator and you are in the darkness, and someone comes out of you and you have to shoot or be shot. And i think i was killed several times because it is really difficult, and it is really hard to be a Police Officer in america. Susan thanks to both of you for your questions this week. Appreciate your time. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2015
Mr. Leahy mr. President , i ask the call of the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection, so ordered. The senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy mr. President , today were debating whether the senate is allowed to vote on the confirmation of patricia millett. Shes nominated to fill the vacancy that our current chief justice, john roberts, previously occupied on the United States the United States court of appeals for the d. C. Circuit. Now, if shes confirmed as of course she should be, shell be only the sixth woman to serve on the d. C. Circuit in its more than 1020year history. Shes be a 120year history. She is an extraordinary nominee, she has impeccable credentials for this important appellate court. I like so many others across this country hope that her confirmation is not going to suffer from the partisanship and gridlock that consumed Congress Earlier this month. Patricia millett has had a brilliant legal career. Shes argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court. A
Thats right. What get you some stuff here. I like to teach my kid that. They say the most important thing of all that is complete to say thank you. Thank you for coming out tonight. One special thank you because i need to embarrass him. When i started my career in d. C. , when you do your first is that camino is going to be there. Her mom, dad, sister and i for one of my many friends and strangers to come. One of the first is a guy named elliott vehicle. Elliot in the morning. Lets hear it for elliot. [applause] we havent told a story. We are going to tell it now. Everythings better on television. I can tell you that for next variance. Elliot is an amazing has an amazing radio show called elliott in the morning. Thank you for ruining my whole joke. Ng. Your phone is on National Thank you for ruining my whole joke. Now your phone is on national tv. I hope youre happy. Weve got presents, too for everyone. So heres the story. Elliot was a great radio show, elliot in the morning. All of a