State of Rhode Island Archives: on Homeland Security


Bob Flanders: Commit the resources needed for military preparedness

There are four overriding national security themes that need to be addressed. They are as follows:
  • Cyber-attack prevention.
  • Global economic stress and the debate between nationalism and globalism.
  • Secure infrastructure in the homeland, including borders, ports, airspace, waterways, and critical infrastructure such as airports, power grids, and transportation networks.
  • Intelligence; every successful military and counter-terrorism operation relies on good intelligence.
  • Military preparedness; the U.S. military must commit the resources needed to deal with multiple trouble spots from North Korea to the Middle East.Rhode Island needs a U.S. Senator that stands up for the safety and security of our country.
    Source: 2018 R.I. Senate campaign website FlandersForSenate.com Nov 1, 2018

    Bob Flanders: Operation Stand Down: support services for veterans

    Our veterans have fought for us, we need to fight for them. Spent the day today at Operation Stand Down Rhode Island in Cumberland, a tremendous organization that provides essential services to our veterans in need. Please stop by this weekend and support R.I. vets. God bless our veterans and the United States of America.

    [Organization and event description from OSDRI.org]: OSDRI sets up a military style encampment and invites service providers from across the state to join us to deliver life essential services to veterans in need. In 2017, approximately 500 homeless and at-risk veterans attended Stand Down Weekend. Additionally, more than 200 volunteers and over fifty nonprofit, state and federal agencies came together at the outreach event to provide the veterans with services including housing assistance, medical, dental, benefit claims, mental health care, legal assistance, DMV services, financial planning, employment and training resources, basic human needs assistance and much more.

    Source: 2018 R.I. Senate campaign press release Sep 14, 2018

    Gina Raimondo: Honor and support our veteran population, including housing

    Gina will work every day to ensure that all Rhode Islanders are treated fairly and with the respect they deserve. She will fight for policies that give working families the support they need to thrive.
    Source: 2014 R.I. Gubernatorial campaign website, GinaRaimondo.com Nov 4, 2014

    Mark Zaccaria: Cut government, including cutting military (except salary)

    We need to make real, actual reductions in the cost of federal government. Every function in every department is on the table. Decreasing military salaries & benefits means decreasing troop strength, not cutting individuals pay. To do that we need to conclude expeditionary activities abroad and return substantial forces to the US from overseas postings. Congress should appropriate only a portion of the [previous] budget levels and then federal managers should Manage--to live within those limits.
    Source: R.I. Congressional 2010 PVS Political Courage Test Nov 1, 2010

    Lincoln Chafee: Keep Rhode Island's military installations thriving

    I’ve worked hard in the Senate to make sure Rhode Island’s military installations are thriving and it’s something called the base realignment and closure process that comes along every five or so years. It’s always a big threat because you don’t want to lose your military bases. But in this process, Rhode Island gained. One of the few areas to gain employment because of the hard work we did at building up these military installations, investing in them over the years.
    Source: 2006 R.I. Republican Senate Primary debate on WPRI Aug 24, 2006

    Stephen Laffey: We need to expand weapons programs

    I don’t see large programs that need to be cut when it comes to the military defense. The first thing we do was protect life & liberty &happiness in the country. So I think we need to expand weapons programs. Our antiballistic missile program is lagging. We have some aged missiles sitting on some cruisers off the coast of North Korea but that’s not what we should have been doing for the last 25 years. We should?ve been building up the ability to take out rockets that come out even in the blue stage.
    Source: 2006 R.I. Republican Senate Primary debate on WPRI Aug 24, 2006

    • The above quotations are from State of Rhode Island Politicians: Archives.
    • Click here for definitions & background information on Homeland Security.
    • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
    2020 Presidential contenders on Homeland Security:
      Democrats running for President:
    Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
    V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
    Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
    Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
    Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
    Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
    Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
    Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
    Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
    Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
    Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
    Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
    Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
    CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
    Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
    Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
    CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

    2020 Third Party Candidates:
    Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
    CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
    Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
    Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
    Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
    Howard Schultz(I-WA)
    Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)     		Republicans running for President:
    Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
    Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
    Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
    V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
    Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
    Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
    Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
    Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

    2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
    Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
    Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
    Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
    Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
    Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
    Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
    Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
    Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
    Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
    Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
    Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
    Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
    Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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