I have the utmost respect for the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform and work every day to secure the freedoms and liberties we as Americans are privileged to enjoy. Our Congressional District is honored to be home to both the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and Naval Air Station Key West, along with hundreds of service members who reside in South Florida. It is imperative we provide them with the tools necessary to defend the country and keep our citizens safe. Whether it be the seizure of illegal drugs being transported across open waters or those defending our country on faraway battlefields, securing American interests at home and abroad is my top priority. 

This also includes supporting efforts to defeat ISIL and other terrorist groups. With the assistance of our many allies, the United States should strive to bring stability and peace to the Middle East. As a strong supporter of Israel, I will continue to work on promoting and strengthening the US-Israel bilateral relationship and safeguarding the interests of one of our closest allies in the most hostile region of the world. A nuclear Iran is not only an existential threat to Israel's existence, but a direct threat to the national security of the United States and the world. Here in our hemisphere, we must work to promote democracy and human rights and to counter the wave of anti-American autocratic governments that have emerged since the beginning of the millennium. There are growing threats in our region, including the establishment of terrorist cells in the Americas. Our government has neglected Latin-America for far too long.