Homeland Security

As your Representative, keeping America safe remains my first priority. As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, I am committed to ensuring that the federal government provides our military with the necessary resources to accomplish the missions that they have set to protect our nation from those who wish to do us harm.

Fiscal Year 2013 Defense Appropriations

The conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2013 was signed into law on January 2, 2013. The legislation authorized $552.2 billion for the base national defense budget and $88.5 billion for overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan. NDAA also authorized a 1.7% military pay increase, maintained current TRICARE fees and prohibited the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States. The funding levels provide our war fighters and their families with the care and support they need, deserve, and have earned while ensuring that proposed drawdown plans do not cut to the heart of the Army and Marine Corps.  It also provides our military with the resources and authorities it needs to win the war in Afghanistan and continue to prosecute the wider War on Terror.

H.R.8 – American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 & the Sequester

The American Taxpayer Relief Act, which was signed into law on January 2, 2013, provided fiscal certainty to American taxpayers by permanently extending tax rates and protecting as many Americans as possible from being subject to a tax increase. The legislation also postponed the sequester mechanism enacted as part of the Budget Control Act (BCA) for two months until March 1, 2013. At this time, the defense budget is slated to be cut on that date by $55 billion, or 10 percent in addition to the $487 billion in cuts over ten years proposed in President Obama’s budget.

In May 2012, I introduced H.R.5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, to provide mandatory spending reductions in order to replace automatic cuts to discretionary spending in 2013 under the BCA and to reduce the deficit. To reaffirm the commitment to our nation’s veterans and make good on sacred promises to care for their health and well-being, H.R.5652 included a provision removing veterans’ medical care from the accounts subject to sequester to ensure that these accounts remain fully funded. The bill passed the House by a vote of 218 – 199 on May 10, 2012 and was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.

I also cosponsored H.R.5872, the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012, which was signed into law on August 7, 2012. The Sequestration Transparency Act required President Obama to detail how the Administration planned to implement the budget sequestration cuts scheduled to take place in January 2013. The arbitrary, across-the-board cuts – now expected to take effect on March 1, 2013 – would have a devastating impact on our national security and key domestic priorities. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has stated that the sequestration cuts “would do catastrophic damage to our military and its ability to protect the country.” As we continue to address the looming sequestration in the 113^th Congress, rest assured that I will not lose sight of the promises that have been made to the veterans that have bravely served our country and their families that depend on their safe return home.

Homeland Security in the Path to Prosperity

The Path to Prosperity budget passed the House on March 29, 2012. The resolution reaffirms a commitment to the men and women in uniform and ensures that national security remains the government’s top priority. The budget rejects proposals to make across-the-board cuts in funding for national defense, and provides $554 billion for national defense spending in FY2013, an amount consistent with America’s military goals and strategies.

The Path to Prosperity acknowledges that defense spending needs to be executed with effectiveness and accountability; however, government should take care to ensure that spending is prioritized according to the nation’s needs, rather than treated indiscriminately with regard to cuts. Further, the House-passed budget recognizes the sacrifices that veterans and their families have made to ensure the continued security of our nation, and provides funding to afford the best care possible that veterans have bravely earned.

Israel

America has no better friend in the Middle East than the nation of Israel. Not only is Israel the region’s only fully functioning democracy, with a government based on popular consent and the rule of law, but it is also a valuable ally against Islamic extremism and terrorism. Our shared democratic values and national interests are supported by maintaining a close friendship with Israel. Americans also have a strong interest in Israel achieving a lasting peace with its neighbors—including both the Iranians and Palestinians. 

Reasonable people—including those who live in the Middle East— differ about how the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be resolved. However, I believe at least one thing is clear: we cannot advocate for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that jeopardizes Israel’s safety or legitimizes terrorism. Hamas, which is one of the two major Palestinian political factions, is an Islamist terrorist group whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction, refuses to recognize Israel’s existence, and calls Osama Bin Laden a “martyr.” While I do not have a role in the diplomatic discussions over the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, America should not pressure Israel to agree to a peace deal that is unlikely to result in peace and security. Real peace will require Palestinians to recognize that Israel has a right to exist, even as it will require two states for the two peoples.

Further, the importance of preventing Iran from achieving nuclear capability cannot be overstated. Should Iran become nuclear capable, not only would U.S. non-proliferation objectives be undermined, but other countries in the region could perceive their national security to be dependent on the attainment of nuclear weapons as well. Given the United States’ commitment to Israel’s defense, the conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013 included a provision asserting that the United States should be prepared to take all necessary action to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capability. I will continue to closely monitor developments in both Palestine and Iran while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the dense of Israel.

Iraq

On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced the withdrawal of all U.S. troops and trainers from Iraq to be completed in 2011.  Since January 1, 2012, the United States has maintained normalized relations with Iraq, and will continue to assist in the training of Iraqi forces, encouraging regional security, peace and respect for Iraqi sovereignty. I am encouraged by the progress that has been made in Iraq, and we must remain vigilant to ensure that the gains made in the hard-won war in Iraq do not slip away now that America’s combat participation has ended.

Afghanistan

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States made a commitment to defeat those responsible for the horrific attack. As part of the broader war on terror, the U.S. military has effectively engaged our enemies in Afghanistan and employed counter-insurgency tactics to combat current threats to our national security. This military strategy necessitates enough troops on the ground to clear and secure areas, move onto subsequent locations while maintaining a level of operable safety. Commanders requested 33,000 soldiers, totaling deployment to 100,000, and the President initially complied with this request. However, on June 22, 2011, the President announced a withdrawal of the same number of troops.

The withdrawal has the potential to pose security threats to soldiers continuing shorthanded counter-insurgency operations, as well as to compromise the larger mission in Afghanistan. Further, the Afghan citizens currently working with our troops to quell violence may view the withdrawal as a signal that our forces are no longer committed to the mission, which will serve to debilitate the long-term diplomatic, development and reconstruction efforts in the area.

On May 1, 2011, our military and intelligence community realized the goal of eliminating the leader of Al Qaeda and the ultimate mastermind of 9/11. Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs at a compound in Abbottabada, Pakistan, and his body was buried at sea. After years of dedicated efforts across two administrations, his death served a major blow to Al Qaeda and marked a turning point in the ongoing War on Terrorism. I congratulate the brave men and women who have played a role in successfully serving justice to the murderer who orchestrated the deaths of thousands of Americans on September 11.

I believe that the continued engagement in Afghanistan is necessary, and demands careful considerations for the safety of both our Armed Forces and citizens.  Our own security at home depends on denying Al Qaeda and other terrorists a safe haven to operate from abroad such as Afghanistan.  I continue to support providing our soldiers with the best possible equipment so they are able to complete their mission safely, effectively and on time so they can return to their families as soon as possible.

Supporting Our Troops

We must not forget that we are a nation at war. The brave troops who serve our country worldwide have made and continue to make tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our nation. I am grateful for their service, and am dedicated to ensuring that they are provided with the necessary resources to achieve their missions safely and effectively and to return to their families as quickly as possible. Congress must also work to ensure that the families of these courageous individuals are thanked and cared for while their loved ones are away. As Congress continues to consider further legislation with regard to these issues, please rest assured that I will not lose sight of the effects that our national policy has on the lives of our troops and their families and the security of our nation.

Additional Information