Issue Position: National Security

Issue Position

While our government has made great strides since 9/11 in developing counter-terrorism measures, gathering intelligence, and, generally, making Americans safer (affronts to civil liberties notwithstanding), Jerry contends that there are still critical gaps in our nation's security years after the terrorist attacks. He has pushed consistently for more federal resources to fight nuclear proliferation around the world and secure hundreds of tons of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium that are inadequately protected in the former Soviet Union. And he has championed 100% scanning of cargo containers entering U.S. ports in order to prevent terrorists from smuggling nuclear, chemical or biological weapons into the country (in 2007, Jerry's Scan our Ships legislation became federal law as part of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act).

Jerry has also been particularly active in pushing for tougher gun licensing and registration laws and taking dangerous weapons off of our streets. He has fought consistently for more resources for our law enforcement agencies in order to ensure they have the tools they need to fight crime -- whether street crime, hate crime, sexual assault, or otherwise. Jerry was one of the authors and longtime proponents of expanding hate crime protections and saw that legislation through to being signed into law by President Obama in 2009. Jerry is also a passionate advocate for the welfare of women and children who have suffered -- or are at risk of suffering -- domestic, physical, or sexual abuse. He has pushed hard to increase penalties for predators and protections for victims, including better enforcement of protection orders, and has been a longtime supporter of the Violence Against Women Act.

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