Jim Talent Quotes

There's no excuse for skimping on national defense when the country is at war.

When the economies of countries grow, their militaries generally do as well.

Japan is the only country in the world that does not call its defense organizations a military. That is absurd, when the government is spending 5 trillion yen a year for self-defense.

If the military is to show the capabilities that we demand and expect of it, then the defense budget has to continue to rise.

I will not cut our military budget by a trillion dollars, which is a combination of the budget cuts Barack Obama has, as well as the sequestration cuts. That, in my view, is making our future less certain and less secure.

We are going to repeal the Obama-Clinton defense sequester and we are going to rebuild the military of the United States which is very, sadly, depleted.

In Congress, while the House's proposed defense budget calls for significant increases, it also cuts 11 billion dollars from veterans spending - including healthcare and disability pay. Be clear: we can't equate spending on veterans with spending on defense.

There are in most states one or two ministers of war, one of whom is the minister of naval affairs.

I have significant concerns about reducing the 188th Fighter Wing's capabilities, and will fight tooth and nail against attempts to reduce its personnel or take away aircraft.

The National Defense Act of 1916 left the United States with a General Staff of 19 officers, against Germany's 650.

Making America great again begins with making our military great again.

I'm a big fan of the military. I think we've got to preserve our military, no question about it.

I have spoken to Donald Trump about this. He understands the dramatic budget cuts our military has faced.

I'm very, very pro-defense.

Clearly, we need a strong economy to build a strong military.

This president [Barack Obama] is undermining our military. This president is more interested in funding Planned Parenthood than in funding the military.

We increased expenses, particularly in two areas: the military. If I put somebody in harm's way, they're going to get the best, as far as I'm concerned.

We do need our defense capabilities. It is a fact that the cuts we are facing today and the cuts that Senator [Ted] Cruz would have supported would leave us with an even smaller Air Force and a smaller Navy than the one we are going to be left with.

Their [the U.S.’s] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as ‘their home — their fortress.’ And good for them, I say. Well done!

The Government is able to afford a suitable army and a suitable navy. It may maintain them without the slightest danger to the Republic or the cause of free institutions, and fear of additional taxation ought not to change a proper policy in this regard.

When it comes to the military, we have no choice. We cannot have a depleted military.

America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a trillion dollars in cuts through sequestration and budget cuts to the military would change that.

Using these new funds, I will ask my secretary of defense to propose a new defense budget to meet the following longtime goals.

But the federal government, our collective government, has responsibilities that none of these other levels of government can fulfill; and chief among these is national defense.

We would take a little bit of money out of a huge increase in ballistic missile defense and put it in a place where it will do a lot of good, namely, in targeted pay increases to our enlisted personnel, particularly our NCOs and our junior warrant officers.