It is critical that our soldiers be provided with the tools they need to achieve their objectives. That’s why Steve stood up to both parties and opposed a compromise plan to increase the debt limit because it opened the door to more than $100 billion in cuts to defense funding.

Our armed services should be supplied with the finest and most technologically sophisticated weapons the world has ever produced, and they should be given full authority to root out evil without hesitation and without their hands tied behind their backs.

America should never engage enemy combatants without a crystal clear strategy for a beginning, a midpoint and a successful end. American families should never have to endure a protracted conflict, and our service men and women should never have to fight an endless battle. We must eliminate rules of engagement that endanger our troops and prolong the conflicts in which they are fighting.

The quality of life we enjoy and want to perpetuate will continue only for as long as those brave service men and women are willing to stand in harm’s way to protect our freedoms. The generations of men and women who have shed their blood in defense of our nation must be honored by our commitment and willingness to duplicate their courage when the freedoms they so willingly died for are threatened. My vision of America is one where our military personnel are the envy of the world and where they are honored and respected by all who love freedom.

Not only do we have a responsibility to provide our military with superior tools in the field, but we also must provide for our veterans the services, compensation, education and protections for their families after their service in the field has ended. Those who survive military conflict with life-altering injuries must also be ably cared for. The finest medical treatment must be standard care for our war heroes. We should never fail in our duty to care for them once they return home from foreign conflict.

Steve had the honor of serving as Chairman of the Bay County Military Affairs Committee. During that time, he had the opportunity to see firsthand the full scope of the operations of Tyndall Air Force Base and the Naval Support Activity Base. In Congress, Steve has maintained close contact with local military officials to ensure they have the federal resources they need.