James Comer on Homeland Security

Advocate for investments in national defense

I will also be an aggressive advocate on behalf of service members and families stationed at Fort Campbell, one of our country's premiere military installations. I will work with the House Armed Services and Appropriations Committees to ensure Fort Campbell has the infrastructure it needs to support our troops and their mission. I will also work with the Department of Defense to highlight the unique capabilities of Fort Campbell--including its airfield and its ability to quickly deploy troops as a Power Projection Platform, among others--in an effort to bring more service members and assignments to the post, which is vitally important to the economy of Hopkinsville and the surrounding community.

Supports maintaining a numerically superior nuclear arsenal.

The American Family Association Action Voter Guide asked if candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'The United States must maintain a nuclear arsenal that is safe, reliable, modern and numerically superior to those of potential adversaries.' American Family Association Action (AFA Action) produces the online "iVoterGuide" for selected state and federal races. The mission of AFA Action is to inform and mobilize individuals to strengthen the biblical foundations of America.

Voted against combating Islamophobia.

H.R.5665: Combating International Islamophobia Act: This bill establishes within the Department of State the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia and addresses related issues. The bill requires annual reports to Congress about human rights and religious freedom in foreign countries to include information about Islamophobia, such as:

1. acts of physical violence or harassment of Muslim people,
2. instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote hatred or incite violence against Muslim people, and
3. actions taken by a country's government to respond to such acts. The office shall coordinate and assist in preparing these portions of the reports.

Rationale to vote NO (Rep. Zeldin, R-NY, 12/14/21)::: Lee Zeldin, one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress, announced that he will vote against H.R. 5665, a partisan resolution: "Rep. Ilhan Omar's bill that is supposed to combat Islamophobia does not even define 'Islamophobia'. In fact, the way the bill is worded intentionally plays into Omar's calculating game that any criticism about any topic relating to her, even if it has absolutely nothing at all to do with her religion, could be defined as 'Islamophobia'. That is absurd and I will vote 'no'!"

Rationale to vote YES (NY1.com, 12/15/21)::: "Our country's commitment to defending freedom of religion and belief goes back centuries, and the Administration strongly believes that people of all faiths and backgrounds should be treated with equal dignity and respect around the world," a statement of support issued by the White House read. The bill comes after Republicans in Congress have targeted the three Muslim members of Congress as members of a "jihad squad."

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 219-212-3 on 12/14/2021, Roll no. 448)' introduced in Senate on 12/15/21 and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations; no further Senate action during 2021.