Washington, DC –  Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today after President Obama announced the nomination of Ashton Carter as the next Secretary of Defense:

 “President Obama has made a strong choice in nominating Ashton Carter. Dr. Carter has a long and distinguished career at the Pentagon and most recently served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He is a distinguished faculty member at Harvard and Stanford and a former Rhodes Scholar. As Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics he ensured that our men and women in uniform received life-saving equipment, including mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles that protected them from improvised explosive devices.

“Dr. Carter understands the threats that confront our country and I believe his experience at the Pentagon will make him an effective leader for our military. Given the many critical national security issues confronting the United States, it is my hope that the Senate will work swiftly to consider and confirm President Obama’s nominee to this critical post.”