SAN ANTONIO – Before hosting Monday’s symbolic sendoff for young Texans who are bound for the nation’s military academies, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn spoke about the world in which the young people will be called on to serve.
The senator is concerned that much more must be done to strengthen the United States military, which is having to make do with less.
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Even as President Donald Trump honored those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, Cornyn described a world that’s under a diverse array of threats.
"It seems (to be) a bad time to be cutting defense spending by 20 percent, which is what we have done over the last few years,” Cornyn said.
Spending caps that Congress approved to deal with the nation’s $20 trillion debt have been successful, but it’s to the detriment of America’s military, Cornyn said.
"So my hope is, we can sort of unpack that (and) separate defense spending, which is the number one responsibility of the federal government -- to keep the nation safe,” Cornyn said.
It will be a top priority for Congress, Cornyn said, along with his work on the Senate Intelligence Committee, among the ongoing probes into possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Russians.
The latest allegation involves the president’s son-in-law and close adviser.
"People can make allegations,” Cornyn said. “They can guess. They can gossip. None of that really matters. What we need to do is get to the bottom of this and get the facts and that's what we're going to do."
Cornyn said the new special counsel, Robert Mueller, is the right man for the job.
"Director Mueller has an impeccable reputation and is the epitome of a professional lawman," Cornyn said.
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