As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I am briefed daily about the threats facing our country and what we are doing to stop them. In these trying times, Americans are understandably concerned for their safety, but we must not allow fear to lead to overreaction, bad policy, or unintended consequences.

Instead, I’m working hard to ensure that Congress provides leadership and answers the question: What really keeps Americans safe? Every dollar we waste funding outdated strategies designed for the Cold War is another dollar that is not going towards law enforcement, intelligence gathering, cybersecurity, and many other programs that actually secure the U.S. against the evolving threats we face today. That’s why I’ve been pushing for a continued bipartisan, bi-cameral independent investigation into the Trump administration’s ties to Russia, pushing for increases in U.S. Homeland Security grant funding for states and localities and helping introduce legislation that prioritizes nuclear non-proliferation & deficit reduction in Defense Appropriations Bills to strengthen Chicago’s ability to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks and major natural disasters. I have also been pushing back against President Trump’s “America First” foreign policy, which sends the wrong signal to the global community that the United States is relinquishing its leadership role in protecting shared values and strengthening diplomacy world-wide.

It is important to remember that every national security challenge is unique. There is no cookie-cutter strategy for deterring and defeating our enemies. But the U.S. has the capabilities and the know-how to defend against these threats. That’s why Congress must stop exploiting public’s fears and work together to keep Americans safe.