Nomination of Mark T. Esper

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, the United States of America has the mightiest military in the world to protect our freedoms and to guarantee peace around the world. That is why it is so important to keep check on the Pentagon's financial ledgers. Taxpayers expect their money to be spent wisely, and it is our job in Congress to make sure that money is spent wisely.

I am glad Secretary Esper has said he will work with whistleblowers to stop wasteful spending and to prevent more spare parts rip-offs. These are things that have been of interest to me over the last several decades with the defense budget. I met with Secretary Esper, and I believe he has his heart in the right place to help us accomplish these goals.

He has also indicated he will prioritize getting a clean audit of our military services and an opinion that can be certified because the 2010 law that all the audits ought to be certified was not met by 2017, and they are still not done. How can you follow the money if it can't be audited?

Our men and women in uniform deserve no less than to make sure every dollar in the Defense Department is spent wisely.

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