National Security / Armed Forces

As an Army combat veteran, I have been an advocate for the nation's armed forces since taking office in 1997. Given that the National Security of this country is among my highest priorities, I sought a seat on the House Armed Services Committee at the start of my service in the House of Representatives. I have since continued my efforts to ensure that the United States maintains our position as the most powerful and best equipped military force in the world today as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life.

As an active member of the Air Force, Army and Mine Warfare Caucuses, I meet with enlisted personnel and officers on a regular basis to learn more about their needs, both on the job and with their families. As a result of these meetings, I have worked with the House Appropriations Committee to consistently address these needs, including improving base housing, providing better medical care, making a significant investment in more modern equipment, and closing the pay gap between the military and their civilian counterparts. With the invasion of Iraq, I have redoubled my efforts to ensure our men and women in uniform have the tools they need to successfully train the new Iraqi Army and provide adequate security for the new Iraqi government. When I talked to soldiers and their families I soon learned that many of them did not have access to the latest armored vehicles or bullet proof vests and that they were taking unnecessary casualties as a result of these shortfalls. Therefore, I worked to add $1 billion to the President’s budget request to ensure our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan had the vehicles and equipment they needed to get the job done.

I have also worked to ensure Tyndall Air Force Base and Naval Support Activity-Panama City has the infrastructure required to meet the needs of our military in the 21 st century. To this end, I have secured over $130 million in military construction projects for the bases over the last nine years. These projects include a new runway and control tower, a new building for the Air Battle Manager School, a new communications center, and a new Air Operations Center for Tyndall. In addition, funding has been provided for a new Expeditionary Warfare Center, a new Littoral Warfare Center and a new dive facility for the Navy base.

The world has changed greatly since the end of the Cold War. It is imperative that our security priorities reflect these changes. We have witnessed recent cooperation between the United States and Russia that is unparalleled since World War II. However, September 11, 2001, proved without question that a new set of threats to this nation exist and that we must be prepared to deal with them. I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that our military is equipped with every tool necessary in this new mission.

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