U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry // Serving the People of the 13th District of Texas

 

Keeping America safe is not easy.  Our security challenges in an interconnected world are great, whether from the continuing threat of terrorism to the re-emergence of Russia and China as world powers or the spread of nuclear weapons.  So first and foremost, we must ensure that the American military continues to be second to none.  

    

Our investments in national security must also extend beyond traditional military resources.  If we're going to succeed against terrorism or any other security challenges we face, we must have all the instruments of national power and influence working together, not only coordinated, but integrated, so that it is a seamless unit.  This includes everything from intelligence gathering, to cyber security, and even foreign policy.    

 

The 13th Congressional District is a long-time contributor to America’s national security in a number of important ways.  Our area is home not only to thousands of men and women who volunteer to serve their country in the Armed Forces, but also to many veterans who have settled in the area after military retirement.  In addition, Sheppard Air Force Base, the Pantex Plant, and Bell Helicopter all play unique and important roles in our nation’s defense.  

Today, our military is less ready than it should be to address the threats we face; it is too small to adequately meet the demands of a dangerous world; and men and women in uniform are being deployed into harm’s way without all the support they need and deserve. All of this makes America less safe and the world a more dangerous place.

As part of our “A Better Way” project, we have presented dozens of specific proposals with a focus on keeping America strong and engaged. That does not mean that it is up to the United States to rush in and solve every problem in the world. But we have seen clear evidence of the consequences of U.S. weakness with the aggressive behavior of Russia and China, as well as the results of disengagement in Iraq and Syria where the Obama decision to completely withdraw American troops gave rise to a more virulent terrorist threat by ISIS.

“A Better Way” on national security includes proposals on border security and immigration, as well as intelligence and information sharing. But the heart of American national security is the U.S. military, and our plan would focus on the men and women who serve to ensure that whatever mission they are called upon to carry out, they will be fully trained, fully ready, and fully supported.

Here is an overview of the plan:

You can read the full national security task force report here.

To read more about my previous work on national security, click here.  If you would like to find out more about a specific national security issue, please follow the links below:

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