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Hillary Clinton, Former
Secretary of State
I've known Lloyd Austin for
15 years, and worked closely with him from both the Senate
and as Secretary of State. He will make history, and serve
this country well.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the
House
“President-elect Biden’s
nominee for Secretary of Defense, General Lloyd Austin,
brings a great understanding of the challenges facing our
nation’s defense and a deep appreciation for the sacrifice
of our military heroes and their families.”
Senator Dick
Durbin, Democratic Whip
“I opposed the waiver on
Mattis, but I have to tell you I was so impressed with his
performance that I would consider a waiver for Austin, once
I get to know him.”
Senator Jim Inhofe, Senate Armed Services Chairman
“Armed Svcs Cmte Chair
Inhofe says he would vote for a waiver for Lloyd Austin to
serve as DefSec "in a heartbeat"
Senator Bernie Sanders
On waiver: "My inclination
is that I would support that."
Senator Chris Murphy
On waiver: “I inherently
trust the Biden administration on issues of national
security in a way that I did not inherently trust the Trump
administration. So I'm certainly — given that I'm a believer
in his policy, I'm much more willing to give him deference.”
Congressional Black Caucus
“The appointment of Retired
Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as Secretary of Defense makes our
country stronger and safer. He has led a distinguished
career of service to this nation, most recently served as
the head of the United States Central Command and vice chief
of staff of the Army. He is a decorated combat veteran,
having been awarded the nation’s third-highest award for
valor: the Silver Star. But this is about more than an
impeccable record. This appointment reverberates throughout
the history of military service and courage in United States
Armed Forces. Black Americans have sacrificed their lives
for this country in every war since the Revolutionary War.
Appointing Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to a position of
command and authority over the United States military,
second only to the President of the United States, is
historic and well-deserved.”
Representative James Clyburn, Majority Whip
“It [the nomination of Secretary-designate Austin] is
exactly what I think needed to be done. As you know, the
military is about 40% minority. I think the kinds of
experiences that General Austin has had are the kind of
experiences that needed to be put to play. So much of what
we do in our governmental process is sometimes skewed,
because people have not had the kind of experiences that are
necessary in order to have the compassion and the empathy
that is needed for our brave men and women serving in the
armed services. So I think General Austin has those
experiences and I think this is a great appointment.
Representative Karen Bass
"Having someone
like Austin be appointed is very important. I had the
opportunity to meet him on congressional delegation to Iraq
several years ago. I believe he will bring the type of
leadership & stability needed to the military."
"We have given waivers
before. We voted on a waiver for Mattis, and I think we need
to do it now."
Representative Don Bacon,
House Armed Services Committee Republican
"I plan on
supporting the waiver. It does not bother me to have a
retired general be the secretary of defense," he says,
touting the experience he'll bring to DoD.
Representative Joyce Beatty
I applaud the
historic nomination of General Lloyd Austin to be our
nation’s first-ever Black Secretary of Defense. His long
history of service & unequal qualifications make him the
perfect leader for our military & national defense during
this critical moment in time … I support his nomination
waiver, urge the Senate to hold his confirmation hearings
quickly, and look forward to working with him to protect our
people, our country, and our national security interests
around the globe.
Valerie Jarrett
“Ambassador Rice
is absolutely right. It was an honor to serve with Gen.
Lloyd Austin in the Barack Obama/Joe Biden Administration.
He will be an extraordinary Secretary of Defense. I am so
grateful once again for his willingness to serve our
country.”
Michael Steele, Former RNC Chairman
“From the 54th Massachusetts to Buffalo Soldiers to Tuskegee
Airmen Joe Biden pick for Secretary of Defense is both
historic and important. Presidents Truman and Eisenhower are
smiling.”
Vote Vets
“The pick sends
the signal to our senior military leadership that a Biden
administration respects them and will listen to them, even
when they disagree with the president. There will be no
loyalty tests, other than the oath of service, declaring
loyalty to our Constitution.”
James Stavridis, Retired United States Navy Admiral
“I think we should provide another waiver. I think the
Pentagon is in turmoil right now, we've had 4-5 Secy's of
Defense, and I think a figure like Lloyd Austin who has an
unimpeachable combat record...who is well-liked, a team
personality, who can walk into the building and command
instant respect."
Reverend Al Sharpton
“It’s a good
choice that I think many in the civil rights community would
support. It’s the first time we have seen a person of color
in that position. That means something, in a global view,
especially after such an antagonistic relationship we had
with the previous administration.”
Claire McCaskill, Former US
Senator
“You're going to
need somebody really strong to stand up to those cronies. I
think Lloyd Austin is the guy to do that. I think he'll be
confirmed."
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