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| Gen. Jim Mattis (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By: Joe Gould
SIMI VALLEY, California — Republican lawmakers are signaling they would like a speedy confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, retired Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis.
SIMI VALLEY, California — Republican lawmakers are signaling they would like a speedy confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, retired Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis.
But the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee is saying not so fast.
Echoing concerns a required waiver for the retired four-star might erode civilian control of the military, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., warned that Democrats — in spite of widespread admiration for Mattis — may fight his confirmation if the GOP skips a substantive debate.
Though the Senate, not the House, has the constitutional responsibility of confirming Cabinet nominees, the process for Mattis’ waiver should include his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee and be backed up by stand-alone legislation, Smith said in a phone interview on Saturday.
“We need to have a conversation about why the civilian control of the military is so important, and both the House and the Senate need to do their due diligence, asking Gen. Mattis those questions — and have that debate, not just to rubber-stamp it,” Smith said.
Read the full story at DefenseNews