As the threats facing our country have evolved over the years, so too has our ability to respond to them. Our national security personnel are the most dynamic and well-trained in the world, and we must never forget the solemn duty that they fulfill for our nation. Democrats are committed to ensuring that our troops have the training, equipment, and support that they need when they are deployed and the care that they and their families need and deserve when they return home.
Democrats and President Obama are focused on preventing terrorism across the globe. This means continuing to invest heavily in intelligence and information sharing and promoting those networks among our allies. We will continue to strengthen our ability to keep nuclear and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists, address efforts to better ensure border security, and augment defense of our national infrastructure.
President Obama has made significant steps to restore America’s image around the world by rebuilding strategic alliances with countries that share our values and face common threats.
As the threats facing our country have evolved over the years, so too has our ability to respond to them. Our national security personnel are the most dynamic and well-trained in the world, and we must never forget the solemn duty that they fulfill for our nation. Democrats are committed to ensuring that our troops have the training, equipment, and support that they need when they are deployed and the care that they and their families need and deserve when they return home.
Defending America is not just a question of defending our borders. We must continue to support and train our military to meet the challenges of 21st-century threats. Under the guidance of Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and his predecessor Secretary Robert Gates, President Obama and congressional Democrats have made modernizing our military a top priority while eliminating outdated programs and unnecessary spending.
President Obama is focused on preventing terrorism across the globe. This means continuing to invest heavily in intelligence and information sharing and promoting those networks among our allies. We will continue to strengthen our ability to keep nuclear and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists, address efforts to better ensure border security, and augment defense of our national infrastructure.
President Obama has already made real progress on one of our key long-term national defense objectives: stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and preventing vulnerable nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists. In addition, the Department of Defense released an updated Nuclear Posture Review that places new constraints on when nuclear weapons could be used and puts an increased focus on the prevention of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.
President Obama has made significant steps to restore America’s image around the world by rebuilding strategic alliances with countries that share our values and face common threats.
Republicans continue to refuse to work with President Obama and Democrats to reach a balanced approach to reducing the deficit and averting the sequester. Their insistence on putting politics first has put our nation's military preparedness on the line and jeopardized the livelihood of the 800,000 Defense Department employees who now face furloughs—the consequences of which are already being felt across the country. Here's a snapshot.
Republicans continue to refuse to work with President Obama and Democrats to reach a balanced approach to reducing the deficit and averting the sequester. Their insistence on putting politics first has put our nation's military preparedness on the line and jeopardized the livelihood of the 800,000 Defense Department employees who now face furloughs—the consequences of which are already being felt across the country. Here's a snapshot:
As many as 27,000 civilian military employees will be furloughed in Alabama, which will cause an estimated loss of more than $1.9 billion to the state.
Major General James McConville said in a speech at Kentucky's Fort Campbell: "I wondered if people really understood what the effects of sequestration and a pending furlough would do to our civilian workforce and the families of this division as we went off to war. I wondered if they knew that our great mission support element…will be limited to a 32-hour work week and incur a 20 percent pay cut. I wondered if they were aware that our teachers are government service employees and that the kids of our deployed soldiers will only be able to go to school four days a week."
At El Paso's Fort Bliss, most of the 11,000 civilian employees on base will be hit with a 20 percent pay cut starting April 21 until the end of September.
A $30 million construction project intended to fix South Bend's National Guard Armory has been put on hold because of the GOP sequester.
Navy frigates will stop conducting drug patrols in the Caribbean and end their participation in a joint operation that stopped 160 tons of cocaine rom reaching U.S. streets—all because of the GOP sequester.
When they chose not to come to the table and stop the sequester, Republicans in Congress declared tax breaks for rich were more important than jobs or education, health care or defense. Check out—and share—http://www.gopsequester.com/ to see how the the GOP sequester is hurting communities across the country.
When they chose not to come to the table and stop the sequester, Republicans in Congress declared tax breaks for rich were more important than jobs or education, health care or defense. Check out—and share—http://www.gopsequester.com/ to see how the the GOP sequester is hurting communities across the country.
Yesterday President Obama and Defense Secretary Panetta made history when they announced that at long last, more military positions, including ground combat units, will be opened to women. This is a major recognition, not only of all the women who are currently serving overseas, but of all the women who have ever worn our country's uniform. For me, that's personal.
General Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama for another four years. Watch this video of Powell explaining why he's voting for our commander in chief, then make sure your friends and family see it.
General Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama for another four years as president. Watch this video of Powell explaining why he's voting for our commander in chief, then make sure your friends and family see it.
President Obama withdrew 140,000 American troops from Iraq, turning over security responsibility to Iraqi Security Forces and effectively ending the U.S. combat presence in Iraq.
Securing America’s borders
Democrats passed the Southwest Border Security Supplemental to bolster the work of federal law enforcement officials and improve their ability to partner with state, local, and tribal law enforcement.
Reducing the threat of nuclear weapons
President Obama signed a new START Treaty, pledging to reduce the number of nuclear warheads that the United States and Russia maintain.
