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WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement reacting to the announcement by President Obama on the nomination of Ashton Carter to be Secretary of the Department of Defense.

Chairman Carper: “The president has asked Dr. Ashton Carter to take on a difficult and demanding job. Fortunately for our nation, he has accepted this challenge. The Secretary of Defense has a long list of complex, yet critical responsibilities, from ably navigating the details of the colossal defense budget to maintaining troop readiness and preparation. As the department’s former deputy secretary under Secretary Panetta, Dr. Carter already knows the ins and outs of the agency. He has extensive leadership experience in management and acquisition within the Department of Defense, and his ability to scrutinize the defense budget will be a critical asset to curbing financial waste, fraud and abuse within the department. I hope he continues the important progress made by his predecessors to strengthen the department’s financial management efforts. Along with his extensive public service experience, Dr. Carter is a top-level expert in defense, intelligence and international security policy, with decades of experience in academia and the private sector. His experience and insight will be a critical asset as we continue our campaign to defeat ISIS and other Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria, as well as other adversaries abroad and in cyberspace. Given the myriad challenges facing the department and the nation today, at home and abroad, it is critical that the Department of Defense has an effective leader in place who can hit the ground running. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move forward with considering Dr. Carter’s nomination as soon as possible.”