Issue Position: Defense and National Security

Issue Position

National defense is a key function of the Federal government. While we must always strive to protect our citizens, we must be careful that our protection does not infringe on our civil liberties. The PATRIOT Act and similar legislation, while well-intentioned, need strong reforms to ensure that privacy and liberty are protected. Recent events have proven the need for strong reforms at the NSA and other agencies. As such, I am a proud cosponsor of of the LIBERT-E Act and the NSA Inspector General Act. The LIBERT-E Act eliminates the authority the NSA uses to broadly collect citizen's data and the NSA Inspector General Act brings accountability to the agency. I am a proponent of a stong national defense, but our nation is only as strong as our bedrock--the Constitution. I believe our Founders knew that national security and liberty can go hand-in-hand. We must always work towards a Federal government that achieves that balance.

Source