Weekly Columns

For decades, the United States has enjoyed uncontested and dominant military superiority. But just as we have come to depend on a rules-based security order, there are countries working to turn the tide and upend it. Global stability is in question with a rising China and a resurgent Russia, and provocative actions sponsored by North Korea and Iran.

Our world is now experiencing a return to a great power competition dynamic. While our military is strong, our competitive edge continues to erode as our challengers move to close the gap.

After the recent closing of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, its neighbor, North Korea, continues to pose one of the most persistent U.S. foreign policy challenges which has spanned the past four U.S. administrations. It is the only country to have tested nuclear weapons this century and remains the greatest and most immediate threat in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area. The hope that North Korea will resume and continue talks with South Korea after the Olympics remains a question. Whatever the outcome, confronting the North Korean threat is critical, and the U.S.

A robust and modern infrastructure keeps our nation's economy moving – literally. Investing in infrastructure is a critical component of America's economy, which links businesses, consumers, and everyone in between. Earlier this month, President Trump unveiled his infrastructure plan to address a much needed renovation on our nation's transportation systems. The plan calls for leveraging $200 billion in federal funds over the next ten years to generate an estimated $1.5 trillion in total infrastructure spending to improve roads, bridges, railways, airports and other projects.

There is no question Congress must put our fiscal house in order. The debate surrounding spending cuts and increases, fundamental budgetary reform, and raising revenue will only intensify in the face of an exploding debt.

Each February, the President submits a budget to Congress outlining spending proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.

Congress has passed yet another continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government and avert a shutdown. The agreement secures funding to ensure the President's defense priorities can be met. It also ends a months-long impasse on spending priorities and provides for a path ahead to undo the damaging cuts that have hindered our armed forces and diminished our ability to meet security threats around the globe.

The bipartisan agreement passed last week includes a deal to bring total defense spending over two years to $700 billion and $716 billion, respectively.

After his first year in the White House, President Trump and his Administration have much of which to be proud. Their accomplishments have delivered actual results, and the country is continuing to reap the benefits of those changes. During his first State of the Union speech, the President reinforced those achievements – many of which will certainly be remembered as signature accomplishments of his Presidency.

If you are an American taxpayer, you most likely have bills that need to be paid on a schedule, like an electric bill or a car payment. For many taxpayers, paying those bills might just get a little easier this year. The new tax code has already promised bigger paychecks for individuals and families, but the wave of its effects since passage into law is being realized across the nation from the corporate level to the individual taxpayer.

At 11:59 PM EST on January 19, 2018, the United States Senate refused to take up a spending bill which would have kept the government open until February 16, 2018. This bill not only would have kept the federal government open and running efficiently, it would have included many provisions to support people's health insurance and protect our national security.