Congressman Becerra believes that a strong national defense depends on strong alliances and diplomacy as well as a military that is properly equipped and well trained.

Rep. Becerra also believes that if it is important enough to go to war and put the lives of our men and women in uniform on the line, then it must be important enough to pay for the cost of that war in today’s dollars, and not borrow the money from our children. That is why he has voted against supplemental appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were not paid for.

During his time in Congress, Rep. Becerra voted to authorize the use of force in Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011 and voted against authorizing the use of force in Iraq. He supported ending the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, and has worked to increase the diversity of applicants to our nation’s military service academies.

War in Iraq

In 2002 Rep. Becerra voted against going to war in Iraq, believing there was not a valid rationale, broad international support, or adequate planning for what lay ahead. He supported efforts to end our involvement in Iraq in the years that followed, as well as legislation to properly equip, pay and support the troops who were asked to put their lives on the line there. 

Importance of Diversity in our Military Academies

Rep. Becerra believes that it is important that our military’s officer corps truly reflect the diversity of our nation. That is why he has supported diversity recruitment efforts by our nation’s military service academies— some of the most selective institutions of higher learning in the country—to reach out to communities that are underrepresented in our nation’s officer corps.