(Washington,
D.C.) — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) voted to confirm Leon E.
Panetta as the next Secretary of Defense. Panetta was confirmed by a vote
of 100-0. Sen. Murray released the following statement following the vote.
“It
is more important than ever that we continue to have a qualified, experienced
leader at the Pentagon, and I was proud to cast my vote for Leon Panetta as the
next Secretary of Defense. He has shown strong leadership during his time as
Director of the CIA, and has dedicated much of his life to public
service. Secretary Panetta has some big shoes to fill at the Department of
Defense, and I want to thank Secretary Gates for his service and wish him well
on his retirement back in my home state of Washington.
“I
spoke to Leon last week, and I voiced my concerns about the unseen and too
often overlooked human costs of our ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As
Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I know that the costs don’t
end when our men and women leave the battlefield. And I am going to keep
working with the new Secretary to make sure all of the costs of war, including
the rising rate of suicide among servicemembers, the lack of access to much
needed mental health care, and the impact of increased number of tours on
members of the armed forces and their caregivers, are being taken seriously by
the Pentagon and the Administration.
“And
as he assumes his new position, I am confident that the new Secretary will keep
his own experiences as a 1st Lieutenant in the Army in mind as he makes
decisions that impact the brave men and women fighting for our country. I
look forward to working with Secretary Panetta on these issues and many others
as he works to make sure America remains safe and secure.”
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