Defense and National Security

Providing for the common defense was a key component to the creation of our federal government. I am committed to keeping America safe from growing threats around the world, and will continue to focus my efforts on:

PROVIDING AMPLE RESOURCES WHILE MAKING SMART CHOICES

Our troops are committed to defending and sacrificing for the American people. When they go into battle, they deserve the best training, equipment, and resources to accomplish their mission to uphold the foundational principles of America. In December 2024, I voted in support of legislation which would give our troops a 4.5 percent pay raise and provides the funds needed in order to strengthen our military.

While ensuring our troops have the necessary tools, we must also make smart choices that reduce wasteful and unnecessary spending. That is why I have been supportive of legislationthat would provide Congress and the American people with a report on how American assistance to Ukraine is being used. While we have a responsibility to ensure our allies around the world have the necessary resources to defend themselves, the American people deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. This legislation was included in the FY2024 NDAA, which passed the House in July 2023.

MONITORING ROGUE NATIONS

Congress must stand firm against provocations that threaten the security of our citizens and our allies around the world. Amidst aggression from nations such as North Korea and Iran, it is imperative that America retains its ability to promote peace through strength.

SECURING THE HOMELAND

Protecting our nation from threats is a multi-front mission, especially in light of the Biden administration’s failure to secure our borders. Thwarting future terrorist attacks requires that we secure our borders, share intelligence effectively and efficiently, protect our critical infrastructure and key resources, enforce our immigration laws, and safeguard our cyberspace.

We must ensure we have a military that is unified and ready to combat the various threats facing our nation. I supported the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorized $895.2 billion for national defense discretionary programs and was signed into law in December 2024. This legislation improves the quality of life for the men and women in uniform by authorizing a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers and provides the funding needed to protect the United States’ security interests including by deterring foreign adversaries like China. The NDAA also strengthens our border security by funding the deployment of the National Guard to the southern border to combat the influx of illegal immigrants and includes an amendment I authored requiring the Secretary of Defense to provide Congress with a briefing on the instances in which an illegal immigrant attempted to enter a military installation or facility in the U.S. in the past five years. To learn more about the FY25 NDAA and its positive impact on our national security, please click here.

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DEFENSE SPENDING

Strengthening our national security and providing resources to increase the safety of our troops is of the utmost importance, and President Biden’s bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan undermined both of these cornerstones of American foreign policy. In response to the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan which resulted in the death of 13 servicemembers, I offered an amendment signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 to boost our national security by evaluating the military capabilities of the Taliban post-withdrawal and its ability to assist other adversaries with those resources. I also cosponsored H.Res.607 in the 117th Congress, condemning President Biden's failure to heed the advice of military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offensive, leading to a disorganized, chaotic, and abrupt evacuation of United States personnel and Afghan allies. Because of this failure, Americans are in more danger at home and abroad.