Every year, Congress faces one of its most fundamental responsibilities: providing for the common defense. That principle is embedded in our Constitution and remains just as important today as it was when the nation was founded.
The debate surrounding our defense may change from year to year, but the obligation itself does not. Congress must ensure the men and women defending this country have the resources they need to succeed.
They have that opportunity this fall, as the National Defense Authorization Act comes under review.
For much of our history, national defense has been one of the few issues capable of bringing both parties together. Republicans and Democrats often disagree on taxes, healthcare, and everything in between, but there has always been a broad understanding that America’s security could not be placed on hold while Washington worked through its differences.
After all, the world keeps spinning whether Congress reaches consensus or not.
That reality is especially clear today. Warfare is evolving faster than the news can keep up. Drones, coordinated missile attacks, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the battlefield at a pace few would have predicted even a decade ago. America cannot afford to prepare for tomorrow’s threats with yesterday’s tools.
Preparing for that future requires quick and effective modernization of the systems that have protected America for generations. That is precisely why projects like Sentinel are so important.
Sentinel is the modernization plan for our intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. It will build entirely new missiles, launch silos, and hardened infrastructure to ensure America maintains the strong nuclear deterrent that won the Cold War.
Our current ICBM, the Minuteman III, has served our country faithfully for decades, providing a credible deterrent that helped preserve peace through some of the most dangerous periods in modern history. Even so, it is necessary that we upgrade them by supporting the Sentinel program. Few things are as important as maintaining a safe, secure, and effective force for decades to come.
China continues expanding its military capabilities and modernizing its forces, aiming to possess over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. Russia wages war in Ukraine while investing heavily in its own defense infrastructure. In fact, the Russians have already completed the modernization of their own land-based nuclear missiles. In other words, time is of the essence.
The late great President Reagan understood the importance of deterrence. He believed peace was preserved when America’s adversaries understood the consequences of aggression and successfully shepherded us through some of the last years of the Cold War.
Strong deterrence reduces the likelihood of conflict, and weakness invites risk. Maintaining that strength requires consistent investment in the systems, infrastructure, and personnel that support our military.
Defense programs support the industrial base that makes national security possible. Across Alabama, thousands of workers contribute to advanced defense systems, aerospace programs, missile defense technologies, and our strategic modernization efforts.
Huntsville has become one of the nation’s premier defense and aerospace centers because generations of engineers have built the expertise needed to support these critical missions. Federal investment strengthens those communities while ensuring America can produce the capabilities required to defend itself.
What remains frustrating is how often serious debates about national defense devolve into political theater. Critics frequently acknowledge growing threats around the world and the importance of supporting our troops.
Yet support for the military means more than speeches and press conferences. Service members require equipment, training, technology, and readiness. Engineers cannot build advanced systems through press releases.
And no one has ever won a war in the Twitter comment section.
The world is changing, but America’s responsibility to defend itself does not. Congress should do what it has done for generations: provide the resources necessary to maintain peace through strength, modernize critical capabilities, and support the men and women who defend this country.
The National Defense Authorization Act advances those goals, and it deserves full support. The American people expect their leaders to take national security seriously. We deserve nothing less.
Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) is the Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate and represents Senate District 8.
