Blumenthal Votes in Favor of General Lloyd Austin to be Secretary of Defense
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted today to approve the nomination of General Lloyd Austin to be Secretary of Defense. The nomination, which was approved by voice vote in the Senate Armed Services Committee, is expected to be considered by the full Senate as early as this afternoon.
Blumenthal cast his vote in favor of the nomination after voting against legislation that would allow a one-time exception to waive the “cooling off period” for recently retired military officers for the Secretary of Defense. That waiver was approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee and must be considered by both the full Senate and the House of Representatives before the nomination itself can proceed.
“My opposition to the waiver is grounded in a longstanding belief in the rule of civilian control of the military. It is simply a matter of principle. After the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to approve the waiver, I considered General Austin’s nomination on its individual merits, and was very pleased to vote in favor of his confirmation,” Blumenthal said.
“I have deep respect and admiration for General Austin – a distinguished leader who has dedicated his life in service to our nation. During his confirmation process, General Austin shared his commitment to several issues that I’ve long prioritized, from the military supply chain, which is so important to Connecticut, to combatting sexual assault and harassment. I look forward to working together in the fight against white supremacy and extremism in the military – a threat to our national security that was on full display in the Capitol two weeks ago, even though it has been poisoning our ranks for much longer.”
Blumenthal has been vocal in expressing his longstanding belief in the core constitutional principle of civilian control of the military, and voted against a similar waiver four years ago. In speaking against the waiver in 2017 Blumenthal said, “I am gravely concerned that this will indeed set a precedent – showing that we are all too willing to lose faith with our core values. We cannot allow the exception to swallow the rule.” But Blumenthal has also made clear that his position on this issue is independent of the individual being considered, noting during Secretary-designate Austin’s nomination hearing, “My opposition to the waiver is not personal. It’s a matter of principal.” Blumenthal also commended Austin for having “expressed clearly and cogently your commitment to strengthening civilian control over the military which you would implement if confirmed.”
During Secretary-designate Austin’s nomination hearing, Blumenthal also raised several priority policy issues including: the threat of white supremacy and extremism in the military; the need to harden our cybersecurity defenses; the role the Defense Department can play in combatting climate change; the scourge of sexual assault in the military; the importance of the military supply chain to Connecticut’s economy; and the importance of passing legislation to grant the Mayor of Washington, DC authority over the District of Columbia National Guard.
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