Ohio Families First:

OHIO HEART AND SOUL www.tedstrickland.com Ohio Families First: Defeating Terrorism & Keeping Americans Safe

On 9/11, our country was attacked on our home soil, and none of us who lived through that day can ever forget it. When we see attacks on innocent people across the world and the increase in terrorist activity in the United States it renews our concern of what could happen here again. Nothing is more important to me than keeping American families safe and secure. To do that, we need to be tough and smart. Empty talk, inflammatory rhetoric, or Washington politics all have no place in a serious discussion about keeping Americans safe from terrorism. In the U.S. Senate, I will focus on defeating ISIS abroad and preventing them from attacking us on our soil: Defeating ISIS And Terrorism Abroad. I support an intensified effort to defeat ISIS that includes increasing air strikes and drone strikes; the use of U.S. special forces in targeted operations; improving our intelligence operations and coordination with allies; and pushing our local partners to take responsibility for the stability of their region. I also believe we must pass an updated and specific Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIS to convey our clear intent to the international community and to the American people about our commitment to defeating these terrorists. Protecting Our Homeland And America s Domestic Security. In the U.S. Senate, I will protect funding for agencies like the Department of Homeland Security; advocate for intelligence sharing across all levels of our government; work to prevent terrorists from entering our country through continual oversight and evaluation of our visa programs and other means of entry; and support commonsense measures to keep weapons out of the hands of suspected terrorists. I also believe we need to continue working with the American Muslim community to combat domestic radicalization and to speak out against inflammatory rhetoric that plays directly into ISIS s strategy. When it comes to our national security, we must also never forget the lessons of the past. The most important vote I cast when I served in the U.S. House of Representatives was against the Iraq War. It wasn t an easy decision, and some questioned whether I had committed political suicide. But today I believe it was the right decision for our country. I think of that vote as a reminder of the awesome responsibility invested in our leaders and of our duty to always put the security of our nation and its citizens first. Those are the values that have guided me throughout my life, and those are the values I will bring to these issues in the U.S. Senate. Sincerely, 2 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Defeating ISIS and Terrorism Abroad ISIS is an incredibly serious threat. We must be committed to finding ISIS where they are and defeating them. In order to do that, we need to take strong, concrete action. An intensified effort to defeat ISIS should include: increasing air strikes and drone strikes to take out more ISIS leaders and destroy more of its assets; the use of U.S. special forces in targeted and tactical operations; improving our intelligence efforts and coordination with allies; and pushing our local partners to take responsibility for the stability of their region. I also believe that that the U.S. Senate has a responsibility to pass an updated and specific Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to convey our clear intent to both the international community and to the American people about our commitment to defeating ISIS. The United States has the best military force in the world, and our service members are second to none. We have the tools and determination to defeat this enemy and keep America safe, and that s exactly what we need to do. Aggressive Air Strikes And Drone Strikes To Cripple ISIS. Tactical airstrikes, the increased use of special forces, and on-the-ground partnerships have destroyed hundreds of millions of dollars in ISIS assets, and ISIS has lost control of 40 percent of the territory in Iraq that it controlled at one time. Now we must not let up -- in fact, we must increase the pressure to dismantle ISIS s leadership. I support aggressive airstrikes and drone strikes in Syria and Iraq to kill ISIS leadership on the battlefield and to dismantle their capabilities. Increasing The Use Of U.S. Special Forces In Targeted Operations. Right now, several hundred U.S. Special Operations forces are in Iraq and Syria carrying out training and precise capture and kill operations. I believe this is an effective way to use the strength and sophistication of the U.S. military to have a significant impact. In addition to increasing airstrikes against ISIS leaders and assets, we should increase the use of U.S. special forces to execute these targeted missions in order to find and defeat ISIS wherever they are hiding. Enhancing Our Intelligence Efforts: Increase Funding For Human Intelligence And Coordination With Allies. Our strategy to defeat ISIS must be built on intelligence that anticipates threats before they materialize. We must expand our intelligence and surveillance efforts significantly, and that begins by increasing funding for the collection and analysis of human intelligence abroad. The U.S. should also be leading the effort to improve intelligence sharing amongst and between our allies. This will help keep Americans safer and improve the effectiveness of our efforts against ISIS abroad. Attacking ISIS Online And Countering Their Propaganda. We should increase operations by the U.S. military s Cyber Command unit against ISIS in order to disrupt their capabilities online and counter their propaganda. By targeting ISIS s online operations, we can sabotage their finances, make it more difficult for ISIS to pay their fighters, disrupt their ability to carry out their day-to-day operations, and deter them from spreading their hateful message.¹ 1 New York Times, U.S. Cyberattacks Target ISIS in a New Line of Combat. 4/24/16. 3 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Pushing Local Allies To Take Responsibility For The Stability Of Their Region. The U.S. should not take on ISIS alone. While we can play a critical role as a leader in this fight, we also need to push our regional partners, like Saudi Arabia, to take responsibility for the security and stability of their part of the world. We can support their local efforts with our airstrikes and special operations, but their increased ownership in this fight is critical. We need to send the message to wealthy countries like Saudi Arabia that we are done paying to protect them, and that we expect them to take more responsibility for choking off ISIS and preventing radicalization at home. There is no doubt that political problems undermine the region s overall stability and have created a fertile ground for the rise of ISIS. We need to use every opportunity we can to continue pushing our regional partners towards a more open and functioning civil society. Passing An Updated, Defined Authorization For The Use Of Military Force (AUMF). Since 2014, the U.S. and our coalition members have conducted over 10,000 airstrikes against ISIS. We ve spent more than $6.2 billion on this effort and we currently have nearly 4,000 troops in the region. As a country, we can no longer deny the seriousness of this threat or what we ll need to do to defeat it. While many Members of Congress talk tough against ISIS, they -- including Senator Portman have failed to specifically authorize the use of our armed forces against these terrorists. Refusing to pass an updated Authorization for Use of Military Force sends mixed messages about our commitment to defeat ISIS. And passing an updated, congressionally supported AUMF defines our military engagement and demonstrates our country s support for our service members fighting this conflict. 4 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Stopping Iran From Gaining A Nuclear Weapon Iran is one of the most significant state actors in the Middle East, and our country s strategy to stop them from gaining a nuclear weapon has regional implications in the fight against ISIS and for Israel s security. I support the Iran nuclear agreement because it is an effective option to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb and averts a military action that puts us on the path to war. Before the plan, experts believed Iran was in a position to build a bomb in as little as 3 months and the U.S. and international community would have had a limited ability to know about it or stop it. Now, Iran has dismantled its program to such a degree that experts predict it would take a year or more for them to build a device, and we would definitely know about it. Iran has submitted to the most invasive inspections ever negotiated in a non-proliferation agreement. They have eliminated 98 percent of their stockpile of enriched uranium. They ve dismantled two-thirds of their centrifuges including their advanced models. Iran has also removed the core of its nuclear reactor and filled it with concrete. We need to continue aggressively monitoring Iran and holding them accountable. If at any time they fail to uphold the terms of the agreement, the United States should be prepared to re-impose the most crippling sanctions possible. We should never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. But I was appalled when Senator Portman in the midst of sensitive international diplomacy, with millions of lives hanging in the balance tried to sabotage America s efforts from the sidelines by going around our top national security experts and communicating directly with the Ayatollah of Iran. It was a disgraceful act based on political calculations rather than what was in the best of interest of our national security. Ohio newspapers rightly condemned Senator Portman s actions as a diplomatic disgrace, deeply misguided, and careless. ² Unlike Senator Portman, I will never put partisan politics or self-interest ahead of our safety. 2 Toledo Blade Editorial, Diplomatic Disgrace. 3/12/15; Plain Dealer Editorial, A deeply misguided Senate letter to the leaders of Iran. 3/11/15; Akron Beacon Journal Editorial, Rob Portman joins the careless. 3/11/15. 5 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Protecting Our Homeland and Domestic Security As we work to defeat ISIS and other terrorist organizations abroad, we also need to take steps to protect our domestic security and keep Americans safe at home. In the U.S. Senate, I will do everything in my power to keep our country safe. I believe we must protect funding for the Department of Homeland Security; ensure the Intelligence Community is sharing information with those on the front lines; require senators on the critical Homeland Security Committee to show up for meetings; and enact measures to keep weapons out of the hands of suspected terrorists. I also believe we need to continually evaluate vulnerabilities in our immigration system to prevent terrorists from entering our country. And we need to work directly with the American Muslim community to combat radicalization and propaganda that plays into ISIS s strategy. Ensuring Funding For The Department of Homeland Security and Intelligence Sharing. Our first priority must be to prevent ISIS from entering and infiltrating the United States and attacking our homeland. Law enforcement at every level must work hand in hand with federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and with the Intelligence Community to prevent a terrorist attack here in the United States. As governor, I experienced firsthand the importance of this federal and state cooperation, and some of the frustrations of trying to get information to state and local law enforcement officials who are on the front lines. Nothing is more irresponsible than Washington politicians jeopardizing the funding or operations of vital counterterrorism agencies like the Department of Homeland Security in order to push their political agenda. But incredulously, that s exactly what Senator Portman has done. Senator Portman s government shutdown in 2013 resulted in furloughs for important Homeland Security support staff and forced others to work without pay. More recently, in 2015 Senator Portman voted again to shut down the Department of Homeland Security for the sake of his Washington politics.³ Senator Portman s actions were incredibly irresponsible and jeopardized our safety. In the U.S. Senate, I will work to ensure these agencies have the funding they need to operate at full strength so that we are not vulnerable to a terrorist attack. And I will bring my perspective as a governor by advocating for more effective intelligence sharing between federal, local and state agencies. 3 Toledo Blade, Portman votes no on bill to avert partial shutdown. 2/18/15. 6 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Senators Should Show Up To Homeland Security Hearings. When a senator accepts a committee assignment dealing with our homeland security, they should show up for work it s as simple as that. But a recent, alarming report⁴ revealed that Senator Portman skipped 72 percent of his Homeland Security Committee hearings. These kinds of committees are not ceremonial they deal with real threats that impact the safety of every American. My proposal is simple: any senator who fails to attend at least a majority of the Homeland Security hearings should step down from this committee. Preventing Terrorists From Entering America And Increasing The Oversight Of Visa Programs. We know that ISIS is trying to infiltrate our country and we need to make sure our immigration system is addressing this threat and responding to changing circumstances. Specifically, we need to take a hard look at our visa and visa waiver processes. We need a reliable vetting process for anyone seeking to come to the U.S. from another country especially for those trying to enter from known terrorists strongholds. That is why last year I called for a temporary pause in accepting refugees from Syria until our vetting processes have been strengthened. It is increasingly clear that the threat is coming from individuals trying to circumvent our immigration system through visa waiver processes. Congress passed a law authorizing the Visa Waiver Program in 1986, and until recently this program allowed citizens from 38 countries to enter the United States without going through the visa vetting process. There have been recent proposals to increase restrictions on this program, but what we need is oversight and constant evaluation so that our immigration system is responding to the threats we are facing. That s why I believe Congress should require the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in collaboration with our nation s intelligence and national security leaders, to review every type of visa and visa waiver process and then report to Congress any ways vulnerabilities may be addressed. ⁴ Columbus Dispatch, Democrats go after Rob Portman s attendance record. 3/28/16. 7 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE

Another proposal I support is requiring the Department of Homeland Security to send agents to high-risk areas overseas where terrorist activity is a concern. These agents can do advanced screening of visa applicants from the ground, gather early biometric data, and increase intelligence sharing with our regional allies. No Guns For Terrorists. Preventing terrorist attacks in our communities also requires keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Between February 2004 and December 2014, individuals on the FBI s Terror Watch List underwent 2,233 background checks when trying to purchase firearms or explosives.⁵ However, we don t have any current law stopping them from buying a gun. As a result, in 91% of these cases they were able to buy a gun. These are the very same people who our intelligence experts have concluded are too dangerous to fly. They should not be able to buy a weapon and put the safety of U.S. citizens at risk that s just common sense. Unfortunately, Senator Portman disagrees: he voted⁶ against legislation⁷ preventing suspected terrorists from buying guns. This is a straightforward, important step we can take to protect our homeland and keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and it s a proposal that I will support in the U.S. Senate. Working With The Muslim Community To Combat Radicalization. In our cities across the country, law enforcement is working with the American Muslim community to prevent ISIS from recruiting and radicalizing our citizens. This partnership is critical in preventing ISIS from attacking our country, and one that I look forward to continuing to support in the U.S. Senate. When individuals with a mega-phone use overblown or hateful rhetoric against Muslims, it plays right into ISIS s propaganda. We need to work with the American Muslim community to combat this kind of hate-speech because it doesn t represent American values, and because it s a liability for our national security. I will continue to speak out against this kind of language and rhetoric whenever it occurs. ⁵ United States, Government Accountability Office, Letter to The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, United States Senate, Update on Firearm and Explosives Background Checks Involving Terrorist Watchlist Records, 3/6/15; United States, Government Accountability Office, Testimony of Eileen R. Larence, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Terrorist Watchlist Screening FBI Has Enhanced Its Use of Information from Firearm and Explosives Background Checks to Support Counterterrorism Efforts, 5/5/10. ⁶ S.Amdt. 2910 to S.Amdt. 2874 to H.R. 3762, Vote 319, 12/3/15 ⁷ New York Daily News, NRA, Republicans block proposed law to stop suspected terrorists from buying guns in U.S. 11/18/15. Paid for by Strickland for Senate 8 OHIO FAMILIES FIRST: DEFEATING TERRORISM & KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE