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By Troy Downing
Republican Congressman
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The brave men and women who serve in our military and defend our freedoms must be supported by policies that ensure they can remain singularly focused on their mission.
Would you be able to excel at your job if you were worried about whether your children are receiving a good education or if your family’s home was safe and habitable?
These are all questions our service members are concerned with every day. But for too long, the needs of military families were ignored. We saw how the quality of education for service members’ families deteriorated under the Biden administration. The Pentagon’s school system actively promoted controversial school curricula, including critical race theory and radical gender ideology that contradicts the values of military parents. In just one egregious example of this racist agenda, the DEI chief tweeted she was “exhausted” with “white folx” in professional development sessions.
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The Biden-Harris administration COVID-19 vaccine mandate also imposed serious consequences on service members simply for exercising their religious or medical freedom. Republicans understand that all Americans, including service members, must be able to make important medical and health-related decisions for themselves. The Biden administration forced thousands of our service members to leave the military, leaving many families with lost income and an uncertain future. Compounding this grave mistreatment, these service members were dishonorably discharged and lost access to all veteran benefits.
Thankfully, President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans reversed many of these harmful policies.
President Trump restored parental choice for service members regarding their children’s education, and provided a $1,776 Warrior Dividend as additional support to military households. He established the President’s Military Spouse Commission to confront longstanding problems and deliver meaningful improvement for those who sacrifice so much in service to our country. Republicans also delivered the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which invested $9 billion for military family programs, $2.9 billion for the housing allowance, and $100 million for local schools serving military children. These measures underscore the fact that America can maintain a strong military while also doing more to support the families who make military service possible.
The progress made under Republicans to improve military life is at risk if Democrats regain power in November. Far from being outside the Overton Window and on the fringes of American politics, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has increasingly infiltrated the modern Democrat Party and their agenda offers a preview of where Democrats would like to take our country if they regain power. Indeed, actions speak louder than words, and it is telling that 192 House Democrats refused to condemn Socialism on the record.
The DSA policy agenda would add $49 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years, costing each American household $350,000. Their push to defund the Department of War would devastate service members and families whose livelihoods depend on a strong, functioning military. Military personnel costs, including salaries, housing allowances, healthcare, childcare, and family support programs, make up a substantial portion of America’s defense budget. Forcing massive reductions to defense spending would inevitably shrink the funding available to sustain these benefits.
Additionally, closing military bases and reducing domestic installations could disrupt military families who rely on military schools, commissaries, exchanges, and other on-base services, while threatening economic activity in surrounding areas.
The implications for national security would be just as serious. As adversaries like China and Russia expand their military presence globally, America must maintain a force capable of deterring aggression, protecting our freedoms, and responding to threats in a timely manner. The DSA wants to transform the U.S. military into a domestic-focused entity focused on social programs with a long track record of waste, fraud, and abuse under Democrat leadership.
A strong military and strong military families are mutually reinforcing. Service members are better positioned to perform at the highest level when they know their families are safe, supported, and financially secure. Efforts to weaken our defense capabilities in pursuit of a Socialist utopian fantasy risk undermining our national security and the stability of military communities across the country.
Our service members have made a commitment to defend America. Their spouses and children make sacrifices of their own, often without recognition and without knowing what the next deployment or relocation will bring. Republicans understand that supporting our warfighters and their families is a non-negotiable duty we owe to those who bravely wear the uniform.
Republican Congressman Troy Downing is currently serving his first term as the United States Representative for Montana’s Second Congressional District.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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