Udall Statement on Nomination of Ashton Carter as Secretary of Defense

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the president's decision to nominate Ashton Carter to serve as Secretary of Defense:

"The United States and the broader international community are confronting multiple quickly evolving threats in the Middle East, including the emergence of the brutal terrorist organization ISIS. Ashton Carter has the respect of senior military leaders having served under multiple secretaries of defense, managed large budgets and handled many demands under scrutiny. I have appreciated Secretary Hagel's strong understanding of the strategic importance of our national laboratories to our national defense, and I look forward to meeting with Mr. Carter during the confirmation process to discuss his views on New Mexico's national security mission."