WASHINGTON -Today, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the markup entitled “H.R. 393 - To provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.” For markup documents and to watch the markup live click here.
"The Committee meets to consider H.R. 393, granting a one-time exception to Section 113(a) of Title 10, U.S. Code, which limits those who can serve as Secretary of Defense to those who have not served in the military within the past seven years.
These are not the circumstances I expected us to face.
When General James Mattis was named by the President-elect as his nominee for Secretary of Defense, I could not have been more pleased.
And I said publicly and privately to Members of this Committee that I believe civilian control of the military is an important principle of our government and also that this is an extraordinary situation and an extraordinary individual the combination of which warrants a one-time exception to the law.
As returning Members will remember, we had two Committee round-table discussions, one with a briefing by our Committee staff on the law and on the precedent when Congress passed a waiver that allowed General George C. Marshall to serve as Secretary of Defense in 1950.
The other was with respected outside experts who discussed civilian control of the military and other issues involved in the exception issue.
My intention as I made clear to the Committee and to the Transition Team, in December and since, was to have General Mattis come testify before us on his views on civilian control of the military before we vote on the exemption legislation.
Let me be clear: General Mattis was willing – even eager – to do so. I talked to him personally. He gladly agreed to come answer our questions.
On Tuesday night of this week, however, I was informed that the President-elect’s Transition Team would not allow Mattis to testify after all.
I think that is a mistake.
There are major principles of government involved with this exception, which has been requested for the first time in 67 years.
I have complete confidence that General Mattis would have answered our questions in a way that adds confidence to the wisdom of his selection.
It would have added strength to his position and gotten the partnership between him and our Committee off to a good start. He recognized those advantages immediately.
Unfortunately, short-sightedness prevailed.
Nonetheless, the top priorities for this Committee have always been the national security of the United States and support for the men and women who serve her.
With that as our guide, I believe we should approve the exception today that allows General Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense so that there is no gap in that important office and so that the nation can benefit, once again, from the service of this extraordinary leader, thinker, and public servant."