“ Our strongest defense against attack is a strong military, and we must continue to make national defense the priority of our national government. In today’s fiscal environment, we need to ensure every dollar we spend on the military is meeting their needs, not the needs of politicians. Politics has influenced our defense spending for too long, and we need to work with our military leaders to define their needs and provide their resources cost-effectively, not just boost spending in home districts. ”

“ There is fraud, waste and abuse in every government program, and this includes our military. While it is vital to ensure that we have the defense systems necessary to protect America's vital security interests, we should explore cuts in every part of our budget when warranted. In defense issues, I will rely strongly on the advice of our military leaders to ensure all programs meet vital needs, and are not simply pork projects that do not substantially advance our national defense. With respect to the current sequestration fight, however, I want to be perfectly clear: under no circumstances do I think it is acceptable to indiscriminately hack billions from defense spending while refusing to get our entire fiscal house in order. ”