Foreign Relations

I support decisions that are based on the best interests of our country’s economic, diplomatic, and national security priorities. A secure and economically prosperous United States is not only good for our own citizens, but for the world.

The ever-increasing interdependency of the world requires that we maintain a strong voice in the international community.  As a member of international organizations like the United Nations, the United States must demand that the organizations are fiscally responsible and consistent with American interests.  I am committed to protecting and upholding the sovereignty of our nation and maintaining the ultimate authority of the United States Constitution over any international organization that our nation joins. 

Foreign assistance programs, when administered correctly, can be a useful tool for our nation.  Strong international allies with good infrastructures and governments that follow the rule of law help make the world a safer place.  The United States has an opportunity through international programs to assist other nations in developing a strong and independent economy.

For instance, I am impressed by the work the United States has accomplished under President Bush’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR.  Through my role as a member of the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and my previous role as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I was able to work on the original PEPFAR legislation and its reauthorization.  I have had the opportunity to travel to Africa and have seen how this program has made direct impacts in people’s lives.  Unlike many foreign assistance programs which do not impact those directly on the ground, PEPFAR teaches people how to avoid contracting the HIV/AIDS disease and provide countries with the ability to care for their citizens already infected.

Americans have an expectation that they will be safe from terrorism and we need to consider the options available to deter and dismantle terrorist groups that are a threat to our nation and regions where they operate. We need a clear and definable strategy to combat terrorism around the globe.