Issue Position: Defense & National Security

Issue Position

Governor Hassan's first and foremost responsibility is to protect the safety and security of New Hampshire's citizens, and keeping our nation safe and secure will remain her highest priority as United States Senator. She will fight to ensure that our military remains the strongest force in the world, while recognizing that the use of America's military superiority should be a last resort, after we have exhausted all other options.

In the wake of terrorist attacks here and around the world, Governor Hassan has worked with homeland security, the FBI and local police departments, leading New Hampshire's security efforts to keep Granite Staters safe.

Governor Hassan has strongly supported New Hampshire's veterans, servicemembers and military families, increasing funding to allow the state Veterans Home to serve more veterans and adding new veterans' service officers at the NH Office of Veterans Services. As a State Senator, she helped turn back a misguided effort to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. And as Commander in Chief of the New Hampshire National Guard, Governor Hassan has stood up for our highly-skilled guardsmen and women, fighting against federal cuts to National Guard resources and advocating for the basing of the new KC-46A air refueling tanker with the 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease Air National Guard base. Earlier this year, the Governor received the National Guard Association of the United States' Charles Dick Medal of Merit and the New Hampshire Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Seven Seals Award for her efforts.

In the Senate, Governor Hassan will focus on maintaining our military superiority while making the United States even stronger in the eyes of our enemies and allies, ensuring that our modern military is prepared for any threat and working with our international partners to keep our country safe. The Governor will also fight to hold all regimes accountable if they break the rules.

The Governor firmly believes the United States must do more to wipe ISIS off the map, including intensifying our efforts to destroy its command and control structure through air strikes and targeted special operations raids, increasing our coordination and support for moderate forces, strengthening our intelligence capabilities and cutting off ISIS's funding. Governor Hassan also believes we must increase pressure on Russia and the rest of the international community to reach a political solution in Syria that maintains stability after Assad is gone. And the Governor has also called on Congress to finally take up, debate and pass a strong Authorization for the Use of Military Force, and be clear with the American people, our men and women in uniform and the international community that we are committed to defeating ISIS.

Above all, Governor Hassan believes that we must always demonstrate to all who seek to do us harm that they can never defeat the resiliency and strength that defines New Hampshire and the United States of America.

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