President Trump’s pick to head up the military health system lunged into the U.S. gun debate Tuesday during a Senate hearing, saying laws allowing civilians to purchase long guns like the Texas church shooter are “insane.”

Dean Winslow, a professor at Stanford University, offered up the assessment, seemingly unprompted, amid questions from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., about the military’s treatment of domestic violence convictions during his nomination hearing to be assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

Shaheen asked specifically whether Winslow believed a person such as Devin Patrick Kelley, who was jailed by the military for assaulting his wife and stepson, should have received a dishonorable discharge instead of the lesser bad conduct discharge.

Winslow at first pointed to what he called a single point of failure, apparently referring to the Air Force’s mistake of not reporting Kelley’s crime to civilian authorities, which allowed him to purchase guns. But then he went further.

“I’d also like to, and I may get in trouble with other members of the committee, just say how insane it is that in the United States of America a civilian can go out and buy a semi-automatic assault rifle like an AR-15, which apparently was the weapon that was used,” Winslow said. Kelley reportedly used a Ruger AR-556, which is similar in style to an AR-15.

Also during the hearing, Winslow was pressed by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the Armed Services chairman, to explain a reference in Winslow’s written answers to the committee about providing abortions to military women.

“I also believe that therapeutic abortion services should be provided by the military in appropriately staffed facilities,” Winslow wrote in the submitted questionnaire.

McCain read the quote and ask pointedly, “What do you mean by that?”

Winslow said he was glad for the opportunity to clarify his response and that he understands the military has long been barred by law from providing abortions in most cases.

Therapeutic abortions refer to situations in which the mother’s life is in danger, Winslow said.

“You better clean it up doctor or you are going to have trouble getting it through the Senate,” McCain warned.