June 21, 2011

 Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement today on the Senate confirmation of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta:

“I have known Leon Panetta for decades, since we served together in the House of Representatives. He is universally admired for his judgment, intelligence and humor. He has dedicated his life to public service, beginning with his enlistment in the United States Army in 1964 and continuing through a wide range of executive and legislative positions over the last 45 years.  

“Leon has all the skills to excel at the difficult job of maintaining the world’s greatest fighting force. In this time of tight budgets, he knows how to do more with less thanks to his time as director of the Office of Management and Budget and Chairman of the House Budget Committee. He has the experience to make high-stakes decisions on matters vital to our national security especially in light of his tremendously successful tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. I look forward to working with this capable professional on a range of critical issues – from withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan to trimming waste from the Department of Defense budget.”