Keeping America Safe
Defense and Our National Security
Our entire country owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women that serve in our nation’s armed forces. As the son, grandson, and brother of veterans, I understand the sacrifice made by the brave men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to make our world a better, safer place to live.
I believe there is no more important challenge we face today than securing our families and our homeland from radical Islam. We all know that fighting the war against terror is costly, and, like many members of Congress, I have met with the mothers of fallen soldiers. Their burden and sacrifice is solemn and profound. But as costly as it is to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I believe losing those wars would be even more costly, and I never want to meet with the mothers whose children may perish in the next 9/11 if we accept defeat in Afghanistan.
Stabilizing Afghanistan makes America safer and more secure, and you may be certain that I will remain steadfastly committed to supporting our brave men and women who are fighting terrorists and making the world a safer place to live. As seen with the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound and the killing of al-Qaeda’s #2 operative, the United States and its partners are still making tremendous progress within the global war on terror. Because of the patriotism and sacrifice of our soldiers, future generations of Americans will be able to enjoy freedom, peace, prosperity, and many other blessings that God has bestowed upon our great land. As our troops return home, we must not forget the hardship or dangers they endured to answer their country’s call of duty.
Immigration
Fixing our broken immigration system and securing our nation’s borders remains one of the most important issues before Congress. For far too long, our government has turned a blind eye to the border, allowing millions to enter this country illegally. However, in the post- 9/11 world, border security is synonymous with homeland security, and we can no longer afford to ignore who is coming across our borders. That is a recipe for disaster which shows how important it is that we gain control over our borders. Instead of passing a bill to give amnesty to those who have violated our laws, we need to focus on legislation to give our law enforcement and border control officials the tools they need to do their jobs effectively.
America is well known as a land of freedom, prosperity and opportunity, so it is understandable why so many people would do anything they can to come here. But respect for the law is fundamental to the future of our Republic. Any nation that cannot or will not enforce its laws is simply inviting further abuse. Illegal immigration is a flagrant violation of our law that drives up the cost of schools, emergency rooms, and jails, hurting our economy and resulting in higher taxes for American families. America is a nation of immigrants, and I intend to make sure it remains so. Many immigrants have come to America legally, earned their citizenship the right way and have made great contributions to our nation’s history and culture. We should never take away the ability for people to come to America legally, work hard, and fulfill the American dream.
- I am a cosponsor of Rep. Steve King’s Birthright Citizenship Act, H.R. 140, which would limit automatic citizenship at birth to children born in the US who have at least one parent that is a US citizen, national, or lawfully admitted alien.
September 14, 2012 Hensarling Statement on Administration’s Sequestration Report
September 12, 2012 Hensarling Condemns Killing of Americans in Libya
September 11, 2012 Hensarling Statement on 11th Anniversary of 9/11
September 7, 2012 Hensarling Statement on President Obama’s Failure to Meet Legal Deadline, Explain Defense Cuts
May 31, 2012 CHAIRMEN HENSARLING AND RYAN: TROOPS AND TAXPAYERS DESERVE ANSWERS FROM WHITE HOUSE
May 25, 2012 Hensarling Pays Tribute to America’s Fallen Warriors on Memorial Day
May 18, 2012 Hensarling Statement in Support of the National Defense Authorization Act
May 2, 2011 Hensarling Statement on Death of Osama bin Laden
April 27, 2011 Hensarling Offers Help To Those Affected by Severe Weather
April 7, 2011 Hensarling Statement on Passage of the Troop Funding Bill and House Republican Efforts to Keep the Government Open
October 31, 2012 In Case You Missed it: Hensarling on Battle Line with Alan Nathan