WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today released the following statement after Republican senators selected him as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services:

“I appreciate my colleagues for their support in electing me Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In my new role, I will follow in the footsteps of my friend Sen. Jim Inhofe, who was a relentless champion of peace through strength while he led the Committee,” Wicker said. “Mississippi and its thousands of veterans, civilian personnel, and active duty troops have a vital role to play in ensuring our country remains the strongest in the world. I look forward to representing our great state in this position of national significance.”

Read more about Senator Wicker’s work on defense issues here.