On September 11, 2001, the lives of over three thousand innocent people were taken in senseless acts of terror. The Armed Forces of the United States of America continue to be on the forefront of this fight and they need the support necessary to both deter aggression and defeat our adversaries.

Ultimately, there are many threats across the globe beyond the terrorist threat posed by groups like al Qaeda: North Korea has nuclear weapons; Iran is rapidly developing a nuclear program; China is building its military and showed the world that it's ready to wage war in space. Innumerable challenges lay ahead in the Middle East as well as other areas around the world will require long-term attention. However, the United States must maintain an ever-ready, flexible, and well-prepared military to respond to possible conflicts in several places around the world, even during times of extreme budget stress.

America continues to offer the best quality of life and the greatest freedoms. September 11th may have changed how we look at life but it did not change how we live it and the lengths that we will go to defend it. The character of our country comes from the cornfields of Kansas, the blue skies of Montana, the busy streets of New York and the beautiful beaches of California. It is this character that created a democratic republic to stand against tyranny, established freedom for all men and women and will end the threat of terrorism in our world.