Cynthia Lummis on Homeland Security

Our national defense must be the strongest in the world

A: I believe our national defense must be the strongest in the world. This sends an important message to friends and foes of both our military capability and are strong commitment to eradicating terrorism around the globe. To accomplish this goal, we must improve and expand information sharing and collective security efforts. We must do everything we can to limit the production of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. We must also ensure our local, state and federal law enforcement are collaborating and have the resources they need to thwart domestic terrorism attempts. At the same time, I have raised concerns over the extended presence of U.S. troops abroad without a clear mission. President Trump has done a fantastic job in showcasing our military might with strategic missions that limit the use of troops on the ground, such as the killing of Qasem Soleimani.

Prohibit transfer of anyone detained at Guantanamo Bay

"These detainees may pose a threat to the U.S.," said Rep. Lummis. "With released Gitmo detainees returning to the fight we cannot afford to let a campaign promise override security concerns. President Obama needs to be less concerned with political points and more concerned with Americans' safety."

Strengthen our military and our intelligence

• Cynthia supports efforts to make our nation more secure in the face of an illusive enemy.
• Cynthia supports the modernization of our military & its use of alternative forms of warfare, such as technological warfare, to defeat Islamic radicals whose only mission is to terrorize our country using whatever means available.

$515B for military plus $89B off sequester for wars.

Congressional Summary: HR 1735: The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies regarding the military activities of the Department of Defense (DOD), and military construction. This bill also authorizes appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), which are exempt from discretionary spending limits. The bill authorizes appropriations for base realignment and closure (BRAC) activities and prohibits an additional BRAC round.

Wikipedia Summary: The NDAA specifies the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) for Fiscal Year 2016. The law authorizes the $515 billion in spending for national defense and an additional $89.2 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations fund (OCO).

Opposition statement by Rep. Gerry Connolly (May 15, 2015): Congressman Connolly said he opposed the bill because it fails to end sequestration, and pits domestic investments versus defense investments. Said Connolly, "This NDAA uses a disingenuous budget mechanism to circumvent sequestration. It fails to end sequestration."

Support statement by BreakingDefense.com(Sept, 2015): Republicans bypassed the BCA spending caps (the so-called sequester) by shoving nearly $90 billion into the OCO account, designating routine spending as an emergency war expenses exempted from the caps. This gimmick got President Barack Obama the funding he requested but left the caps in place on domestic spending, a Democratic priority. "The White House's veto announcement is shameful," Sen. John McCain said. "The NDAA is a policy bill. It cannot raise the budget caps. It is absurd to veto the NDAA for something that the NDAA cannot do."

Legislative outcome: House rollcall #532 on passed 270-156-15 on Oct. 1, 2015; Senate rollcall #277 passed 70-27-3 on Oct. 7, 2015; vetoed by Pres. Obama on Oct. 22, 2015; passed and signed after amendments.

Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad.

A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency, and for other purposes.
• Prohibits, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders.
• Prohibits a servicemember's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember in compliance with the servicemember's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the servicemember and the spouse. Prohibits a spouse's income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a servicemember serving under military orders.
• Suspends land rights residency requirements for spouses accompanying servicemembers serving under military orders.

Peace through strength, according to AFA survey.

The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military'? Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): "Grounded in God; rooted in research"; they "thoroughly investigate candidates"; when they cannot "evaluate with confidence, they receive an 'Insufficient' rating" (& we exclude)