A Week in the Armed Services Committee
October 16, 2015 Leave a comment
Welcoming Nebraskans to the U.S. Senate is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Whether it’s a family in town to see the historic sites of our nation’s capital, business representatives from our state, or members of Nebraska coalitions and organizations, visiting with you and listening to your concerns is an important part of my job.
But my work in Washington encompasses more. I serve as a member of four committees, including the Armed Services Committee, the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. These committee assignments help me advance Nebraska’s priorities through hearings, investigations, legislation I introduce, markups, and more.
In this week’s column, I would like to highlight the past week of activities in the Armed Services Committee. Through my role on this committee, I have been honored to work with the men and women of our military to ensure they have the tools and resources they need to successfully protect our nation, complete their missions, and safely return home.
The full Armed Services Committee is known for its rigorous hearing schedule. Last week alone, the committee held three hearings and a closed briefing. On Tuesday, we investigated the situation in Afghanistan and heard testimony from General John Campbell, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. In his prepared remarks, General Campbell stressed the importance of our mission in Afghanistan, warning failure will result in a new sanctuary for terrorists and a launch pad for attacks on our citizens here at home and abroad.
The day before the hearing, I had the privilege of meeting privately with General Campbell in my office. During our meeting, he provided me with an update on our mission in Afghanistan. His comments projected a sobering reality that will guide our priorities in the years to come.
On Wednesday, the committee held a hearing regarding the effect that Iranian influence is having on Middle East stability. The hearing further underscored the dangers of the Iranian regime’s threats to global stability.
These hearings come in the wake of alarming developments in the Middle East, where Russia began attacks on CIA-trained rebels in Syria. These reports are deeply disturbing, and they reveal the damage caused by our absence and lack of a strategy in the region. For that reason, our third hearing of the week examined Russian strategy and military operations.
Each week, our work in the Armed Services Committee reveals more clearly that we live in a dangerous world. In that vein, every year, the committee authorizes appropriations for our national defense and sets policy priorities for the U.S. military in an annual bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill has passed Congress for 54 consecutive years and is truly a bipartisan effort.
This year, I was pleased to see our committee once again produce a bipartisan bill to ensure our military is prepared for the threats facing our nation. I was proud to serve on the NDAA conference committee, which reconciled the House and Senate versions of the bill. The final version passed the Senate this week and now heads to the president’s desk.
Our most important duty in Congress is to provide for the defense of our nation. As Nebraska’s voice on the Armed Services Committee making the decisions that provide for our country’s security, I take my role seriously. We live in a world that demands American strength.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
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