Deb Fischer: “last week, we celebrated the birth of our Nation. The first Americans took long, dangerous journeys across the Atlantic…”

“last week, we celebrated the birth of our Nation. The first Americans took long, dangerous journeys across the Atlantic Ocean in search of better lives, far away from a regime that stripped away their God-given rights and their freedoms all too often. Our Founders fought a revolution against absolute power. They chafed against the control of the British Empire. Americans united against encroachments on liberty and emerged victorious, just as we have done many times since then from Great Britain to the Soviet Union. As we look back on our history, we should consider our future as well. The United States faces a threat environment growing more dangerous by the day. Authoritarian adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, are accelerating their efforts to chip away at global stability and undermine America's national security. A couple of weeks ago, a radio host asked me an important question: What is the point of modernizing our nuclear deterrents? Don't we already have the capabilities we need to defend ourselves? And, if we build up a stronger arsenal of nuclear weapons, doesn't that just increase the risk of nuclear war? My answer was related to the history I have just discussed: From the Revolutionary War to the world wars to the Cold War, Americans have prioritized a strong national defense and the tools we need to achieve that when we are faced with existential threats. The character of war changed after the advent of nuclear weapons.…”