Strengthening Our National Defense
Larsen visits with service members from Washington state during a congressional trip to Iraq in 2004.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I make the defense of our country and the support of our women and men in the military a top priority.
Naval Station Everett & Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
The Second Congressional District is home to two critical military installations, Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Naval Station Everett is home to over 6,000 sailors and their families. Homeported at the base are two destroyers, three frigates, one aircraft carrier, and two Coast Guard cutters. NS Everett is one of the newer bases in the Navy and has been called "The Sailor's Choice" because of its incredible location, high quality of life, and supportive community.
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, located in Oak Harbor, has been a critical piece of our nation's defense for over 60 years. The base is home to the majority of the Navy's EA-6B Prowler squadrons and the P-3 Orions. Soon it will be home to one of the Navy’s most modern planes, the EA-18G Growler. There are over 7,800 active duty sailors and Marines based at NAS Whidbey, and more than 10,000 military retirees in the community. NAS Whidbey was a recipient of the Commander and Chief's Award for Installation Excellence, recognizing the outstanding efforts of the men and women who operate and maintain U.S. military installation.
The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), a Department of Defense report that provides a comprehensive examination of the future needs and challenges that our military will face over the next 20 years, painted a bright picture for the future of both NS Everett and NAS Whidbey Island. With a clear focus on the Pacific Theater region, the QDR shows that bases in the Pacific Northwest are strategically and geographically critical to the future of the U.S. military.
BRAC
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I worked alongside our local communities to keep Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island off of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list and preserve the 10,000 jobs our bases provide. Together, we made the case to the Pentagon that the emerging military focus on the Pacific Theater makes NS Everett and NAS Whidbey strategically and geographically critical to the future of our forces. The Pentagon's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list showed that the Pentagon clearly recognizes our military value and the exceptional quality of life that we offer to the servicemen and women stationed in the Second Congressional District.
Non-Proliferation
The greatest threat to our nation is the spread of nuclear weapons. I believe it is America's responsibility to be the international leader in securing the global stockpile of nuclear weapons and preventing the development of new nuclear weapons. We must prevent the worst weapons from falling into the wrong hands by working to locate, secure and destroy loose nuclear materials.
I oppose efforts to create new nuclear weapons. I believe that the development of nuclear weapons sets a poor precedent and harms U.S. national security. For this reason I have supported transferring funds from nuclear programs to conventional programs that better fill our immediate national security needs.
It is imperative that we move forward in our effort against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. It is also important that the United States act as a leader in the international community to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime.
Pay Increases for our Women and Men in the Military
We can never fully repay the sacrifices of our women and men in the military. However, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it is my belief that Congress must provide adequate pay, appropriate housing, and the equipment needed to protect our forces and our nation. For this reason, I have strongly supported every pay increase proposed for our troops and will continue to fight for improvements to their quality of life.
