The first job of our federal government is to guarantee the safety of Americans both at home and abroad.

It is an honor to represent so many men and women in the armed and intelligence services, their families, and veterans in the Fifth District.  It is essential that we honor their sacrifice by providing them with the resources and services promised for their service to our country.   

The attacks on September 11, 2001, changed our country forever, and it is critical that we continue to stay on the offensive in the War on Terrorism to ensure that our nation remains safe from those who seek to do us harm.  We have the best military personnel in history, and I will continue to fully support our servicemen and women to ensure that they receive the support they need to accomplish their important mission.

An important front on the War on Terrorism is Afghanistan. While I want to see our troops come home as soon as possible, setting an arbitrary deadline for withdrawal undercuts our military leaders and troops, emboldens our enemies, and decreases the chance for true success in the region.

While our troops protect our freedoms at home and abroad, it is also critical that the United States build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with our allies across the globe.  We must continue to fully support Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, and our allies across the world in an effort to guarantee the safety of Americans.  I have joined my colleagues in co-sponsoring two pieces of legislation to help ensure that we sustain and preserve a strong American-Israeli alliance by solidifying our commitment to a negotiated settlement by way of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and allowing the United States to impose more comprehensive sanctions on Iran.

Cosponsored Legislation

H.Res 268 Reaffirming the United States' commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and for other purposes

H.R. 1905 Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011

For more information concerning my work and views on the issues of Defense and National Security, please contact my Washington, DC office.

I look forward to your feedback.

Thank you.