WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued the following statement regarding her vote to confirm Dr. Ashton Carter as Secretary of Defense:
“Dr. Ashton Carter is a very qualified nominee for Secretary of Defense and I am confident he will work tirelessly on behalf of our troops and our nation’s security interests. I am encouraged that his position on crucial issues such as Russian aggression in Ukraine and arming and aiding moderate rebels in Syria will translate into effective strategies moving forward.
“I urge Dr. Carter to stand strong against the White House pressure and micromanagement criticized by our previous two Defense Secretaries. The threats posed by ISIS and the growing instability across the region are too great to allow politics to drive our foreign policy. Now, more than ever, we need a strong leader at the helm of the Department of Defense.”
Carter was confirmed today by the Senate today in a vote of 93-5.
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