Ernst Applauds Confirmation of Mark Esper to Serve as Secretary of Defense

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate, released the following statement after supporting the confirmation of Dr. Mark Esper to serve as Secretary of Defense. The vote was overwhelmingly bipartisan, 90-8:

“Secretary Esper’s lifetime record of service to his country—from his time as a cadet at West Point, as a member of the Armed Forces, and as Secretary of the Army—make him exceptionally well-qualified to serve as our Secretary of Defense. I’ve enjoyed working closely with Dr. Esper in his role as Secretary of the Army, and will continue to work with him on a number of my priorities, including addressing sexual assault in the military, supporting our military families, improving readiness, and modernizing our forces.”

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