Title: A resolution honoring the life and the legacy of Secretary Ash Carter.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
This resolution honors the life and legacy of former Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 870 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 870

       Honoring the life and the legacy of Secretary Ash Carter.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 13, 2022

 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Hirono, Mr. 
Kaine, Ms. Warren, Mr. Peters, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
 King, and Mr. Manchin) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Honoring the life and the legacy of Secretary Ash Carter.

Whereas Ashton ``Ash'' Baldwin Carter (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``Secretary Carter'') was born on September 24, 1954, in Philadelphia, 
        Pennsylvania, to William Carter, Jr., and Anne Carter (nee Baldwin);
Whereas Secretary Carter received dual bachelor's degrees in physics and 
        medieval history at Yale College, summa cum laude, and a doctorate in 
        theoretical physics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar;
Whereas Secretary Carter first entered public service in 1981, serving in the 
        Program Analysis and Evaluation Office of the Department of Defense;
Whereas, from 1993 to 1996, Secretary Carter served as Assistant Secretary of 
        Defense (Nuclear Security and Counterproliferation) and Assistant 
        Secretary of Defense (International Security Policy) under President 
        William J. Clinton, during which Secretary Carter oversaw the Nunn-Lugar 
        Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which was responsible for the 
        securing and dismantling of weapons of mass destruction in the former 
        states of the Soviet Union, including the removal of nuclear weapons 
        from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus;
Whereas, from 2009 to 2011, Secretary Carter served as Under Secretary of 
        Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics under President 
        Barack H. Obama, during which he led critical procurement and 
        acquisition initiatives, such as the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected 
        family of vehicles, saving the lives of countless service members;
Whereas, from 2011 to 2013, Secretary Carter served as Deputy Secretary of 
        Defense under President Barack H. Obama, during which he oversaw the 
        management and personnel of the Department of Defense and steered 
        defense strategy and budget through sequestration;
Whereas, from 2015 to 2017, Secretary Carter served as the 25th Secretary of 
        Defense under President Barack H. Obama, and he was revered for his 
        leadership on gender equity and the reinvigoration of United States 
        technology in the defense sector;
Whereas Secretary Carter charted a strategic path for the Department of Defense 
        to meet the China challenge by continuing to rebalance the defense 
        presence and security cooperation of the United States in the Asia-
        Pacific region;
Whereas Secretary Carter played a leading role in the United States-led global 
        coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which led to 
        the liberation of strongholds in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, and the 
        territorial defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria;
Whereas Secretary Carter's focus on innovation led to the creation of the 
        Defense Innovation Unit, the goal of which is to bring the rapid 
        advancement in commercial technologies to the Department of Defense;
Whereas, under the direction of Secretary Carter, the Defense Advanced Research 
        Projects Agency funded mRNA research, later contributing to the 
        development of critical COVID-19 vaccines, saving millions of lives in 
        the United States and abroad;
Whereas, under the direction of Secretary Carter, the Department of Defense 
        opened all military roles to women, increased critical paid military 
        maternity leave, and permitted transgender service members to join and 
        serve openly;
Whereas Secretary Carter authored and co-authored 11 books and more than 100 
        articles on physics, technology, national security, and management;
Whereas, after Secretary Carter's tenure as Secretary of Defense ended, his 
        dedication to public service continued as the Director of the Belfer 
        Center for Science and International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy 
        School of Government at Harvard University, where he mentored the next 
        generation of national security leaders;
Whereas Secretary Carter was a 5-time recipient of the Department of Defense 
        Distinguished Public Service Medal, was a 2-time recipient of the 
        Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian 
        Service Award, and received numerous other awards and decorations for 
        public service;
Whereas Secretary Carter was known to all as a devoted public servant who was 
        resilient in the face of adversity;
Whereas, on October 24, 2022, at the age of 68, Secretary Carter died due to a 
        sudden cardiac event and is survived by his wife, Stephanie, his son, 
        Will, his daughter, Ava, and his sisters, Corinne and Cynthia; and
Whereas Secretary Carter will be remembered as a committed teacher, a loving 
        father, a devoted husband, and a loyal friend: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate--
                    (A) expresses its deepest sympathy to the family 
                members of the late Secretary Ashton B. Carter;
                    (B) honors the outstanding life and legacy of 
                Secretary Ashton B. Carter; and
                    (C) commends Secretary Ashton B. Carter for his 
                life accomplishments within the United States 
                Government; and
            (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as 
        a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Secretary 
        Ashton B. Carter.
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