All nine new members of the Senate Armed Services Committee―six Republicans and three Democrats―plan to focus much of their attention this year on military readiness, force modernization and base-closure issues. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, of San Antonio, who replaced fellow Republican Sen. Phil Gramm, said he came to Congress determined to promote a healthy debate on national defense issues. "Military spending during the previous administration left us vulnerable," he said. "It created instability and the potential for attacks, even such as those we saw on September 11."
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