Quotes from Martha McSally

I'm probably one of the only people who has voted for the speaker of the House but didn't serve in Congress.

Sexism is real.

I just personally decided I was going to be the first woman fighter pilot.

I think my being a combat pilot, being a woman who has had to break down barriers and succeed in a male-dominated environment, and, I think, just being in the military for 26 years have all helped me.

When I started at the Air Force Academy, I found out that I couldn't be a fighter pilot simply because I had ovaries. That was enough to make me go for it.

American servicewomen will continue to be viewed as second-class warriors if leaders push them to take up the customs of countries where women are second-class citizens.

I think there is a longing in everyone for a personal relationship with God.

If I was a guy, based on how I performed in pilot training, I would have been able to have selected a fighter. I mean, I have always said unemotionally, if we want the best fighting force, why would we have 50 percent of our population not competing for these positions?

Raising taxes in an economic downturn is not a good idea.

Wherever women succeed, businesses will succeed.

Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton is exceptionally qualified to serve as President Trump's National Security Adviser, and I fully support his selection.

My journey in the military solidified my tireless commitment to making sure girls and women are given the opportunity to meet their full potential, and nobody tells them they can't do something because they're a girl.

The whole idea of deterrence is to convince your enemy that you are willing and able to make it so painful for them to continue on a threatening or bellicose course that they change their behavior.

The private sector is the innovation engine of our economy, and more private-sector businesses and organizations than ever are recognizing that training, promoting, and retaining women is essential to their continued competitiveness - and their bottom line.

America has a long history of pride in the military uniform, and the Army has a 362-page directive on proper uniform wear. Included are guidelines that accommodate freedom of religion by outlining what religious attire or jewelry can be worn with the uniform.

In 2001, I was an Air Force lieutenant colonel and A-10 fighter pilot stationed in Saudi Arabia, in charge of rescue operations for no-fly enforcement in Iraq and then in Afghanistan.

I have three older brothers. I'm Irish. I'm feisty.

Growing up, I was told I could be anything I wanted to be. There were no limitations restraining me just because I was a girl. Then I joined the military.

When American troops find themselves fighting for their lives, there is no better sound than an A-10 - a plane officially nicknamed the Thunderbolt II but known affectionately by the troops as the Warthog - firing its enormous 30-millimeter gun at the enemy.

Our troops should not conform to customs that represent the marginalization of people and are incongruent with our fundamental values.

It might not be pretty, but the A-10 is our most capable close air-support aircraft, and its arrival on the battlefield signals survival for our troops and annihilation for our enemies.

When I see something messed up, I'm going to challenge it.

If it were in our national security to deploy to South Africa under apartheid, would we have found it acceptable or customary to segregate African American soldiers from other American soldiers, and say, 'It's just a cultural thing'? I don't think so. I would hope not.

North Korea is not even close to being a near peer to South Korea or, much less, the United States.