releases: https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=297f2caf-afa6-4259-8d4a-0c37387546a2
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=297f2caf-afa6-4259-8d4a-0c37387546a2 | SASC CHAIRMAN McCAIN STATEMENT ON DELAYED PENTAGON RESPONSE ON SOUTH CHINA SEA | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | AZ | John McCain | M000303 | www.mccain.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the Pentagons delayed response to a committee request for information about U.S. freedom of navigation operations, including the October 27 operation in the South China Sea: Back in May, Secretary Carter declared that the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. But it took five embarrassing months of false starts and mixed signals before the U.S. Navy was allowed to conduct a freedom of navigation operation within 12 nautical miles of Chinas manmade land features in the South China Sea. As this operation was being reported by every major media outlet in the United States and the Asia-Pacific, Secretary Carter initially refused to confirm the operation had taken place in open testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was reported by the New York Times that Secretary Carter had been ordered by the White House to keep silent. The Pentagons puzzling silence about the operation led to confusion not only about what had taken place, but Americas strategic intent. Thats why I sent a short letter to Secretary Carter asking that he clarify some basic information about the operation. Five weeks later, I have yet to receive a response. Five months to conduct what should be a regular and routine operation is too long. Five weeks to respond to a simple letter is too long. Whether these delays are the result of the micromanagement of the National Security Council or the bureaucracy of the Pentagon, they are unacceptable nonetheless. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |