WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, lauded the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. Ashton Carter to be the next Secretary of Defense.

“I was pleased that the Senate quickly confirmed Ash Carter in a strongly bipartisan vote. He is the right person to spearhead our national security at this crucial time and has demonstrated his strong commitment to serving our men and women in uniform, as well as their families.”

 “Last week, I met with the incoming Secretary to discuss a number of national security issues and, especially, the Department of Defense’s presence and capabilities in Maryland. We agree that Maryland’s military installations, and the personnel who serve on them, are critical to a strong and robust military. Dr. Carter and I also discussed the fight to degrade and destroy the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).  I shared with him my view that this extremist organization must be extinguished without drawing America into another costly ground engagement in the Middle East. During our meeting, we also discussed our strong mutual interest in continuing America’s strategic rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific region. I also shared our concerns about Russian encroachments upon Ukraine’s sovereignty.” 

 “Ash Carter’s wealth of experience in the Department of Defense makes him uniquely qualified for his new role and will ensure that he has a smooth transition to overseeing the 2.4 million military and civilian personnel and $554 billion per year budget that enables us to counter threats to our country and our citizens, and to enjoy the freedom and values we hold dear. I would like to thank him and his family for their continued dedication to public service. ”