National Defense

The Constitution charges the federal government with providing for the common defense and Congress to raise and maintain our armed forces. Today, the United States faces its most complex security environment in generations. The Chinese Communist Party is rapidly expanding its military capabilities, Russia continues its attack on Ukraine, Iran and its proxies are destabilizing the Middle East, and North Korea continues developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

America’s objective must be peace through strength. A capable, ready, and modern military deters conflict by convincing our adversaries that aggression will fail. If deterrence breaks down, our servicemembers must have the training, equipment, and support necessary to prevail and return home safely.

As vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, I work to balance the demands of today’s threats with the modernization required for long-term strategic competition. I also serve on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and co-founded the bipartisan House Defense Modernization Caucus.

Modernizing the Force

Technology is changing faster than the Department of War traditional acquisition system can respond. Major defense systems cannot continue taking decades to develop a system and get it into the hands of our warfighters. By the time a capability is delivered, its technology or the threat it was designed to address may already be outdated.

I am continuing to build on reforms to the acquisition process that accelerate decision-making, make the Department of War a better customer for America’s most innovative companies, and modernize our forces . We must make greater use of commercial technologies, open systems, software-based capabilities, and rapid development cycles that allow equipment to be continuously improved.

Modern warfare also requires investments across every domain—land, air, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum. That includes autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, long-range precision fires, advanced aircraft, resilient communications, and affordable systems to detect and defeat drones. We cannot wait for perfect solutions years from now when our servicemembers need effective capabilities today.

Rebuilding the Defense Industrial Base

Military strength depends on the factories, shipyards, suppliers, and skilled workers that produce and sustain our equipment. Years of inconsistent demand and underinvestment have created fragile supply chains, production delays, maintenance backlogs, and single points of failure throughout the defense industrial base.

I support expanding shipbuilding, increasing missile and munitions production, strengthening maintenance capacity, and using multiyear procurement and block-buy authorities to give industry the certainty it needs to invest. We must also support smaller suppliers, adopt advanced manufacturing technologies, and train the skilled workers needed to build and maintain ships, aircraft, vehicles, weapons, and other essential systems.

America must reduce its dependence on Communist China for the critical minerals and materials used in defense systems, semiconductors, energy technologies, and advanced manufacturing. Securing domestic and allied supply chains is essential to both our economic security and our national defense.

Supporting Servicemembers and Military Families

Our military is only as strong as the people who serve and the families who support them. Servicemembers should not have to worry about whether they can afford housing, feed their families, obtain quality health care, or find dependable child care. Military spouses should not have to sacrifice their careers every time their family receives moves, and military children deserve continuity and support when changing schools.

I have supported increased military pay, improved housing and quality-of-life programs, military spouse employment initiatives, and better relocation assistance for military families. Taking care of our people is both a moral responsibility and a readiness imperative.

Protecting Taxpayers and Strengthening Readiness

A strong defense budget is essential, but it is not a blank check. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to ensure every defense dollar is spent effectively and advances a clear national security strategy.

The Department of War must improve its financial management, produce a clean audit, reduce waste, and hold programs and contractors accountable for cost, schedule, and performance. We must carefully balance current readiness with future modernization so we do not retire necessary capabilities before their replacements are available.

Virginia stands at the center of America’s national security. The Commonwealth is home to the Pentagon, 27 military installations, major public and private shipyards, and hundreds of thousands of servicemembers, civilian employees, skilled tradespeople, and defense-related businesses. In Virginia, national security is economic security.

I will continue working to ensure our military remains the most capable fighting force in the world, our servicemembers and families receive the support they have earned, and America has the industrial strength necessary to deter aggression and preserve peace.

Legislative Work

• National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (H.R. 8800): Passed the House with provisions to revitalize the defense industrial base, strengthen acquisition reform, expand munitions production, accelerate innovative technologies, and support servicemembers.
• National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (H.R. 3838): Signed into law with military pay increases, acquisition reforms, defense-modernization provisions, and investments in Virginia’s military installations and defense workforce.
• ANCHOR for Military Families Act (H.R. 3566): Included in the FY26 NDAA to ensure military families receive timely information about relocation assistance, educational rights, school enrollment, and available support services.
• SECURE Minerals Act of 2026 (H.R. 7126): Would establish new tools to stabilize critical-mineral markets, support domestic and allied production, and reduce American dependence on China-controlled supply chains.
• Finding ORE Act (H.R. 2969): Would strengthen cooperation with allies and partners to identify and develop reliable supplies of critical minerals and rare-earth elements.