Thread by @RepAdamSmith

Today I sent a letter to all my Democratic colleagues in the House, urging them to vote in favor of granting Secretary of Defense designate @LloydAustin the waiver necessary to complete his historic confirmation. (1/x)

I have spoken with Secretary-designate Austin multiple times since his nomination & I am one hundred percent convinced that he understands the importance of strong civilian control of the military, and that he is completely committed to upholding this cherished principle (2/x)

In short, I have no doubt that civilian control of the military will be completely upheld by Secretary-designate Austin when he is our Secretary of Defense. (3/x)

I also strongly believe it is critically important that Secretary-designate Austin be confirmed as quickly as possible after President-elect Biden becomes President on January 20th. (4/x)

For four years, the Department of Defense has continued to deal with attempts by President Trump and his cronies to undermine the independence and capability of the Department. (5/x)

We need a Senate-confirmed Secretary of Defense who has been selected by President-elect Biden as soon as possible to address this deeply disturbing reality. The risk involved in delay is great. (6/x)

Lastly, we cannot overlook the historical significance of Secretary-designate Austin being the first African American selected to be Secretary of Defense in our history. (7/x)

Our country is facing a violent insurrection from right wing extremists, driven primarily by white supremacist
organizations. Troubling evidence continues to emerge that the military itself has servicemembers sympathetic to extreme views and white supremacist causes. (8/x)

Blocking @LloydAustin's confirmation will send a false, dangerous message that Congress believes a highly qualified African American is unable to do the job – that would be a grave mistake. (9/9)