Issue Position: Defense and National Security

Issue Position

John has committed his life -- both in uniform and in Congress -- to protecting and strengthening America's national security. He knows that there is no greater responsibility for the federal government than providing for America's defense. As a Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John works to ensure our military is equipped, trained, and ready to protect America and our allies, and that the Department of Defense (DoD) spends taxpayer dollars effectively and efficiently.

Since John has been elected Chairman, the Committee is off to a strong and busy start, holding hearings with witnesses like Henry Kissinger and America's top military leaders, who all agree that we face a world that is more dangerous than it's been in recent memory. In just a few months, the Committee has confirmed a new Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter; passed legislation on Guantanamo Bay detention facility; and made a strong bipartisan push to assist Jordan in the fight against ISIL and provide arms to Ukraine to defend itself.

As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain has worked with Republicans to strongly advocate for immediate relief from sequestration in the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2015 and will continue to urge his colleagues that blind across-the-board cuts do nothing to combat waste at the Pentagon.

John is proud of Arizona's unique network of military communities and training grounds that prepare our nation's soldiers. Nearly all A-10 and F-16 fighter pilots train at Davis-Monthan and Luke Air Force bases, while Fort Huachuca leads the Army intelligence, cybersecurity, and communication network operations. In addition, the Army's weapon and equipment experts test armored vehicles, drones, and other weapon systems at the Yuma Proving Ground, and the nation's most elite Special Operations Forces such as Rangers and Navy Seals train at the Military Freefall School to become expert parachutists and jumpmasters. John is also proud of the Arizona National Guard, which has a distinguished record of defending our national interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, responding to threats along our southern border, interdicting drug trafficking in cooperation with local law enforcement, and training international pilots on Apache helicopters.

John has long fought to support these installations with the resources they need to succeed. In 2005, John ensured that no major military installation in Arizona was closed under DoD's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and will continue to oppose any future BRAC rounds. In addition, he worked with Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate to save the A-10 attack aircraft at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, which the Pentagon wanted to retire. Further, John is leading the way to reverse "sequestration" cuts that have unnecessarily hurt Arizona military communities and endangered our national security.

Arizona's aerospace industry, which includes companies such as Raytheon, Honeywell, and Boeing, provides thousands of high-tech, good-paying jobs for Arizonans while equipping the military for combat. John has tirelessly worked to ensure that the federal, state, and local governments do their part to keep these great companies and their jobs in Arizona while looking to bring even more aerospace and defense industries to the state.

Source