John Boehner, August 11, 2006

This week we awoke to news of an elaborate terror plot that had been disrupted thanks to the vigilance of British authorities and American intelligence officials. On the same day, two individuals in southeast Ohio were arrested and charged for laundering money to aid terrorist activity.

These come as Iran continues its maniacal pursuit of nuclear weaponry, Iraqi armed forces step up the fight against foreign insurgents and al Qaeda, and North Korea plots to launch a long-range missile capable of hitting our west coast.

Today - unlike in decades past when we blithely went about our business as murderers and madmen hatched plans against us - we recognize the dangers we face. We have seen the damage they can cause. And we know that our enemies will continue to test our resolve for the foreseeable future.

This is why my colleagues and I have been working to strengthen national security by constructing policies reliant on strength and purpose, rather than confusion and defeat. For example, we renewed expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, which provides law enforcement with the necessary tools to help prevent terror attacks from occurring -- the same tools used to thwart the recent plot to bomb American aircraft inbound from Great Britain.

We provided $65.8 billion in funding for our troops in the field to ensure they have the best equipment available to help them achieve victory and return home as soon as possible. And we boosted funding for local first responder programs by more than $30 billion.

We passed critical reforms of our intelligence community, changing the way intelligence is gathered and analyzed, and bolstering funding for human intelligence operatives.

We approved the Security & Accountability For Ever (SAFE) Port Act which requires the Department of Homeland Security to deploy nuclear and radiological detection systems at all domestic seaports. Other efforts to secure our ports – such as the Container Security Initiative (CSI) and the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) – are geared towards ensuring high-risk cargo is inspected abroad at foreign ports, preventing threats from ever reaching the United States.

We passed crucial border security legislation designed to prevent terrorists from entering the country illegally. And we passed the REAL ID Act which will help prevent potential terrorists from acquiring state-issued drivers’ licenses and ID cards -- a key 9/11 Commission recommendation.

Of course, not everyone in Washington is on board with these efforts. For example, opponents of our agenda insist that foreign terrorists deserve legal protections provided by the American justice system -- the very system they seek to destroy.

Many have opposed missile defense and have repeatedly voted against its funding, demonstrating how unprepared they are to confront dangerous regimes like North Korea.

Many voted “NO” on holding individuals accountable for leaks of classified information that damage national security.

And many others have wasted time issuing nervous calls for retreat and hysterical proposals to negotiate directly with tyrannical dictators.

Now is not the time for this sort of weak and indecisive foreign policy.

Now is not the time for unease or confusion over America’s role in the world.

We have difficult work ahead. In an ever-changing world filled with dangerous threats that are forever adapting, we must continue to marshal the strength and resolve necessary to confront dangerous regimes and radical movements. What cannot change, what cannot waver, and what must never falter is our determination to confront and defeat those who have targeted democracy and liberty for destruction.

Congressman John Boehner is the House Majority Leader. Boehner, a Republican, represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, which includes Miami, Butler, Preble, Darke, and Mercer Counties.