
The future USS Michael Murphy will shortly join a dwindling Navy. Photo: US Navy
A strong defense is our best offense, which is why our nation needs a stronger naval power.
A powerful Navy with an impressive fleet will not only help to win wars, but it can also prevent them. Due to a lack of federal funding, the US fleet has dwindled to a low not seen since the First World War.
“Building more ships and fully funding maintenance and modernization are critical to sustaining a healthy fleet,” Heritage Foundation experts Steven Bucci and Baker Spring explain.
Fortunately, the tide may be changing for our Navy. Congress vetoed defense spending cuts, thereby showing support for national security:
By following the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) lead in raising the top-line budget for defense over the President’s fiscal year 2013 request, Congress can sustain this momentum. This will enable depleted military assets such as the Navy’s fleet to modernize and grow. While legislators should strive to find efficiencies within defense, they should also reinvest savings into national security programs in need, such as the Navy’s perennially underfunded shipbuilding budget.