RELEASE: Auchincloss On Austin Waiver
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04), a Major in the Marine reserves, announced his decision to support the waiver that would allow Lloyd Austin to serve as the next Secretary of Defense. The below quote can be attributed to the Congressman:
“I will be supporting the waiver this afternoon that will allow Lloyd Austin to serve as President Biden’s Secretary of Defense. I came to this decision after much deliberation, as both a Member of Congress charged with upholding constitutional duties and as a veteran.
“After the last four years of having our military politicized by the most dangerous president in American history, I had to pause on the initial appointment – like so many service members. Our generals were used as political props in the last administration by President Trump - a man who had no respect for our history of maintaining civilian control of our military. As a nation, we are still raw and fragile from the assault on our institutions.
“However, we are also at the dawn of a new era in our country, with President Biden leading with honesty and moral courage as he meets a cascade of crises. Drawing parallels between this waiver and James Mattis’ waiver is a false comparison. With Mr. Mattis, we needed to make sure an adult was in the room. With Mr. Austin, my respect for President Biden is such that I am willing to defer to his judgment, on this matter, about the lieutenants he needs as he steers through the storms ahead.
“The urgency of this moment calls for the swift appointment of someone who is competent and committed to our country. Lloyd Austin has a long and distinguished career across a multitude of challenging posts. And, the past few days have made painfully clear that the Defense Department must root out white supremacy in its ranks, and I am confident that Mr. Austin is well-positioned and committed to address this existential threat to our national security and national integrity. Confirming the first African-American to serve as Secretary of Defense is an important step.
“As Lloyd Austin said in his Senate testimony, ‘I will surround myself with experienced and capable civilian leaders …and ensure strategic and operational decisions are informed by policy...I would not be here, asking for your support, if I felt I was unable or unwilling to question people with whom I once served and operations I once led, or too afraid to speak my mind to you or to the president.’ I appreciate Mr. Austin’s testimony, applaud him for addressing these concerns, and look forward to voting to approve his waiver this afternoon, a responsibility I do not take lightly.”
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