This year, my colleagues have selected me to lead the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). I am eager to take on the responsibilities of the role, because the committee’s work is more urgent than at any time since World War II. America’s enemies are ramping up their war machines, but our military strength has declined.
As chairman, I will consult with senior military leaders, guide the Senate’s annual defense legislation through Congress, and help bring needed reform to the Pentagon. I will also ensure the federal government recognizes Mississippi’s contributions to national security. As I fulfill each of those responsibilities, I have one overriding priority: rebuilding America’s military strength so we can deter – or, if necessary – win a war.
Laser-Focused On Restoring Peace Through Strength
Murderous dictators in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea see an opening. They have each begun testing their limits, escalating aggression against their neighbors. Even worse, they are banding together. Eventually, they hope to displace the leadership role filled by democratic republics across the world.
Like all tyrants, they will take every inch they are given. The best way to avoid conflict with these thugs is to restore our strength. The first American president, George Washington, said preparing for war was the best way to avoid it. Two centuries later, President Ronald Reagan agreed. His “peace through strength” agenda rebuilt the military and kept the Soviet Union from attacking us. I hope to follow that great legacy, working shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump, who shares this vision.
I have published a highly detailed, two-part plan to equip the armed forces to face the challenges of the 21st century and capitalize on our opportunities. The first step in my plan details the weapons systems and force structure we need. The second outlines ways the Department of Defense (DOD) should reduce waste, increase efficiency, and tap into the technologies that will define the future. Both documents are available on my website.
President Trump Committed to National Defense
Congress writes the legislation authorizing defense programs, and I will take a lead role in crafting those bills. But it will take an energetic, decisive leader in the Pentagon to shake up the stale DOD bureaucracy and to reinvigorate that institution with a warfighting spirit.
President Trump campaigned on a policy of peace through strength, and he has named a Secretary of Defense nominee who is poised to deliver on that promise. I recently led a SASC hearing in which senators heard from the nominee, Pete Hegseth, about his plan for the armed forces. Mr. Hegseth is a decorated post-9/11 combat veteran with a commitment to service members and their families. It is clear that he wants to put warfighters first, restore the military’s lethality and readiness, and tackle the entrenched status quo at the DOD.
Mississippi’s Vital Role
No Mississippian has chaired SASC since Senator John C. Stennis held the post from 1969-1981. Senator Stennis shone a light on our state’s significant value to American security, and I intend to do the same.
For centuries, Mississippians have stepped up and embraced the uniform, serving around the globe. Others from the state run our military installations or create the tools our service members depend on. Mississippi shipyards produce the world’s best military vessels, including icebreakers, amphibious ships, and destroyers, as well as unmanned systems. Across the state, workers develop munitions, aircraft, and advanced weapons technology. Students and researchers at our universities have been collaborating with military officials and business leaders. Together, they apply academic insights to the battlefields of tomorrow.
I am immensely proud of Mississippi’s contributions to national defense. My new position will allow the United States to recognize the ways we can support American peace and prosperity for decades to come.
Note: This article is the weekly Wicker Report from U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, written by the Senator and provided by his office. Any opinions expressed here are that of the author and not necessarily that of this publication.
