Staff Reports
Veteran Action just dropped a pro‑confirmation video ad pushing voters to call their senators and back Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. The ad leans hard on Cao’s refugee story and long combat record, and the group says grassroots pressure can help overcome the legal hurdle standing between Cao and a full confirmation.
The ad’s message and who’s behind it
The 30‑second spot opens with Cao’s story: a boy who fled communist Vietnam and later served for decades in Navy special operations. It highlights his explosive ordnance, diving, and parachute work, then asks viewers to “Tell your senators to confirm Hung Cao as Secretary of the Navy.” Mark Lucas, founder of Veteran Action, appears in the group’s messaging calling Cao a proven warfighter and promising grassroots muscle behind the nomination. The group makes no apology for mixing patriotism with politics — their whole pitch is that national security and voter pressure belong together.
Why a congressional waiver is the real fight
Here’s the catch: Cao is a recent retiree, which triggers a statutory waiting period for civilian service secretaries. That means Congress must pass a waiver before a normal Senate confirmation can move forward. In practice, that waiver needs broad support in both chambers — often a supermajority in the Senate — and that’s where the fight will be. Democrats and some swing senators may balk, so Veteran Action’s ad is aimed at generating phone calls and heat to tip the balance. If you think the Navy can wait for Washington’s committee theater, think again.
National security stakes: why this isn’t just another nomination
Veteran Action frames Cao as exactly the kind of leader the Navy needs while China builds its fleet. Cao’s service record — deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and special‑operations leadership roles — is the ad’s main selling point. Whether you call it a resume or a recruiting poster, the argument is simple: pick someone with real combat experience to lead the Navy now. The White House has put his name forward, and now the question is whether Congress will let him get to work or force another drawn‑out delay.
What to watch and what readers can do
Keep an eye on whether House or Senate leaders file the waiver resolution, and watch the Senate Armed Services Committee calendar. More important for readers: Veteran Action is asking citizens to call their senators. If you believe in strong naval leadership, a simple call — or a flood of them — can move a vote. The coming days will show whether Republicans can turn grassroots energy into the waiver votes Cao needs.
Washington loves process. The Navy can’t live on process alone. If Americans want a Secretary who has actually stood in harm’s way and understands modern naval threats, they should tell their senators plainly: confirm Hung Cao, pass the waiver, let the Navy get on with its mission. And if any senator needs a nudge, remind them the next fleet won’t wait for permission slips.
