“I was pleased to meet today with General Lloyd Austin, President-elect Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. I congratulated General Austin on the historic nature of his nomination and expressed my strong support for granting the waiver necessary for him to be confirmed as Secretary once the House Armed Services Committee has held a hearing to review the issue of civilian control of the military. We discussed the need to refocus the Department of Defense on countering threats from our adversaries and revitalizing relationships with our partners and allies around the globe.    “I was reassured by General Austin’s commitment to respecting the bedrock principle of civilian control of the military and his focus on prioritizing support to service members and their families.   “Our conversation reaffirmed my belief that General Austin is the right leader for the department at this time in our history. He knows the Pentagon inside and out and has demonstrated extraordinary leadership across a lifetime of distinguished service. I look forward to working with him to keep our country safe and secure.”