WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Armed Services Committee and a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, released the following statement on his vote to oppose the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be U.S. Secretary of Defense:
“During my time in the U.S. Senate, I have voted for every Secretary of Defense who has come before me, regardless of which president nominated them, because they had the necessary experience, qualifications, and character to lead our nation’s defense, and because I fundamentally believe that protecting our national security is not a partisan issue.
“I deeply respect Pete Hegseth’s military service and his work advocating on behalf of our nation’s veterans. However, after reviewing his past professional experiences and hearing firsthand his lack of knowledge on basic issues impacting the Department of Defense, it’s clear to me that Pete Hegseth is unqualified for this position. The Defense Department employs nearly 3 million Americans and has an annual budget of roughly $850 billion. Pete Hegseth not only lacks the significant management experience needed to lead our largest federal agency, he grossly mismanaged two veterans service organizations, including one he was forced to step down from due to financial misconduct and creating a hostile work environment.
“Pete Hegseth has also publicly smeared the contributions of the many women who serve in our Armed Forces, and has made appalling comments about Muslim and Arab Americans. During my service in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I learned that military leaders at all levels must have the trust and respect of the servicemembers they are privileged to lead in order to be successful. I have serious doubts that someone who alienates many of the people who play a critical role in securing our nation can effectively lead one of our nation’s most diverse and professional organizations.
“Finally, I am dismayed that Mr. Hegseth refused to meet with me during the course of his confirmation process – breaking from a longstanding precedent that nominees from both parties have upheld. If he is unwilling to have a frank conversation about his positions and experience with members of Congress before he is confirmed to the job, I can only assume that he will be unwilling to work on a bipartisan basis going forward. That is unacceptable.
“There is broad, bipartisan consensus that we are facing one of the most dangerous times in American history. Threats from our adversaries like the Chinese and Russian governments continue to grow and evolve with every passing minute. I cannot in good conscience vote to hand over the reins to one of the most critical and complex organizations in our country to someone who lacks the character, experience, and expertise required to do the job.”
As the son of a World War II veteran and a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Peters is committed to advocating for our nation’s servicemembers, veterans, and military families. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Peters has repeatedly helped advance and pass into law strong national defense bills to bolster U.S. national security. Peters again helped craft and advance the annual defense legislation this year, where Peters secured funding and provisions to specifically support Michigan’s military installations and robust defense sector, improve our nation’s long-term strategic efforts to combat aggression by adversaries like China and Russia, and give our servicemembers a pay raise.
Peters recently received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award—the highest civilian honor the Secretary of the Navy can bestow on a civilian— in recognition of his ongoing efforts to support America’s sailors. In 2021, Peters was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for his efforts to support our nation’s veterans and military. In 2017, Peters was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Vietnam Veterans of America for authoring the bipartisan Fairness for Veterans Act, which was signed into law as part of the national defense bill. The legislation requires veteran discharge review boards to give liberal consideration to petitions for honorable discharge status if the servicemember has been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or other related conditions connected to their military service. As of the fall of 2020, more than 1,500 veterans have had their discharges upgraded since his legislation was enacted. In 2022, Peters helped enact into law the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act – which delivered VA health care and benefits to all generations of toxic-exposed veterans – and their survivors – for the first time in our nation’s history. As of August 2024, nearly 43,000 veterans across Michigan have applied for the benefits made available under this law. In January, two bipartisan bills led by Peters were signed into law to protect burial benefits for both veterans and military families.
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