STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON SUPREME COURT DECISION IN OBERGEFELL V. HODGES
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges:
“While I have deep respect for Americans on all sides of this issue, I disagree with today’s decision. I continue to believe that the institution of marriage is a union between a man and a woman. I have long believed that questions about the definition of marriage should be settled by the people and their elected representatives, not the federal courts.
“I remain committed to upholding the religious freedom protections afforded to us under our Constitution to ensure that all Americans remain free to express and exercise their most firmly-held beliefs.”
STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON GAO REPORT HIGHLIGHTING DANGEROUS IMPACT OF A-10 DIVESTMENT
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which states that the Air Force’s justification to retire the A-10 fleet may be based on inaccurate cost-saving assessments and that any premature retirement could result in a capability gap for the military:
“This report underscores the concerns I have been raising for years about the Air Force’s misguided attempts to prematurely retire this vital aircraft. The A-10 is the best close-air support weapon in our arsenal and is playing an important role in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and in NATO’s effort to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. As the GAO confirms, any premature divestment of the A-10 would not only fail to achieve the Air Force’s purported cost savings, but also leave us with a serious capability gap that could put the lives of American soldiers in danger.”
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which was passed by the Senate this month, includes a provision that would prohibit the Air Force from retiring any A-10s and fully fund the flight hours, pilot training, fuel, and operations for all A-10s for the next fiscal year.
STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON CRASH OF IRAQI PILOT DURING F-16 TRAINING IN ARIZONA
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement on the death of Brigadier General Rafid Mohammed Hassan, an Iraqi student pilot whose F-16 fighter crashed near Douglas, Arizona during a training mission with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing:
“I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Brigadier General Rafid Mohammed Hassan and all those impacted by this tragedy. As one of the many brave pilots training to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing in Tucson, Brig. Gen. Hassan will be remembered by his commitment to the defense of Iraq and its people.”
Brig. Gen. Hassan was enrolled with the Arizona Air National Guard 162nd Wing’s international F-16 fighter pilot training program based at Tucson International Airport, which includes students from Iraq, Singapore, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Oman, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON SUPREME COURT DECISION IN KING V. BURWELL"
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on the Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell: "Today’s Supreme Court’s decision is a disappointment to Arizonans hurt by Obamacare’s broken promises, rising costs, lost jobs, and reduced health care choices. The American people deserve better."
STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON CHANGES IN HOSTAGE RECOVERY POLICY
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on the White House announcing changes to policies regarding American hostages and their families:
“I was honored to meet once again today with the family of Kayla Mueller, the Prescott, Arizona native killed at the hands of her ISIL terrorist captors in Syria earlier this year.
“While I appreciate the Administration’s attention to this important issue, I am concerned that these policy changes do not go far enough to address the concerns of the families who have suffered through this nightmare. For example, the fact that there is no clear-cut, written policy on whether those who assist in paying a ransom would be prosecuted leaves a troubling lack of clarity for families trying to get their loved ones home. It’s cold comfort for these families that they will no longer be threatened with jail for trying to free their sons and daughters. Much more clarity is needed to address their ongoing concerns.
“Further, there are questions about whether the new interagency management structure will have the authority to appropriately assist families in need of help.
“Kayla Mueller’s life of service continues to be an inspiration to our state and nation, and her family’s strength under the most difficult circumstances imaginable is a testament to the remarkable power of their faith.
“We will continue to keep these families in our thoughts and prayers, and never forget the tremendous lives of those they lost.”
SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES SENATOR McCAIN & FLAKE’S BILL TO HIRE VETERANS FOR UNDERSTAFFED PORTS IN ARIZONA
Washington, D.C. – The Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee today unanimously approved the Border Jobs for Veterans Act, a bill introduced by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Ron Johnson (R-WI.) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that would require the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cooperate to recruit and expedite the hiring of outgoing U.S. military service members for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer positions at U.S. ports of entry.
“This bill offers a common-sense solution to help separating service members find much-needed jobs, overcome staffing deficiencies at U.S. ports of entry, and enhance the security of communities in Arizona and across the U.S. on our southern border,” said Senator McCain. “I thank the Committee for advancing this bipartisan effort to provide veterans vital opportunities to continue serving and protecting the nation.”
“Solutions do not get simpler than the Border Jobs for Veterans Act,” said Senator Flake. “Those leaving the military need jobs and CBP needs officers to serve at our ports. The sooner DoD and DHS understand they are the answer to each other’s problem, the better for trade, national security, and the veterans community as a whole. I thank Chairman Johnson and the committee for their support and I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring this bill before the Senate without delay.”
The Border Jobs for Veterans Act addresses delays associated with CBP’s thorough hiring process, which have left land ports of entry along the U.S. border understaffed despite funding for 2,000 additional officers. The bill would not raise costs or impact existing veteran-hiring authorities.
The text of the Border Jobs for Veterans Act can be viewed here.
Watch the Committee members’ supportive statements on the bill here.
Watch the full Committee mark-up here.
