Statement on Orlando, Florida Terrorist Attack

Statement

This morning, like many Americans, as my family and I were preparing to attend church we were horrified to hear about the terrorist attack in Orlando, the worst shooting incident in our nation's history. I am sick of these attacks, and it is time that we get serious about defeating ISIS for good and do more than talk big. While some believe we have turned the tide on ISIS, this attack clearly shows that we have taken only small steps towards eliminating this threat. ISIS has lost a little ground in Iraq, but continues to gain a stronger foothold in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It continues to recruit terrorists all over the world through the internet. To win this war we need to go after ISIS' recruiting and financing, and we must address the ideological underpinnings that motivate people to join their ranks. We do this while we continue to target ISIS' leaders and terrorists where we find them. Our President addressed the nation today and once again he demonstrated

To win this war we need to go after ISIS' recruiting and financing, and we must address the ideological underpinnings that motivate people to join their ranks. We do this while we continue to target ISIS' leaders and terrorists where we find them. Our President addressed the nation today and once again he demonstrated unwillingness to identify these heinous attacks as stemming from radical Islamic terror. Terrorism stemming from Islamic extremism is a worldwide threat and requires a comprehensive strategy to be defeated.

During my time in Iraq, I saw firsthand how these groups would twist selected religious verses in order to justify their crimes -- crimes carried out mercilessly against men, women, and children. Our units found gruesome sites to include torture houses and dozens killed by power drills. Even ten years ago we found their videos of these groups burning people to death so that they could intimidate local villagers.

So far, fifty people are dead in this attack. Think about that, fifty people who won't get to see their loved ones again; fifty people who had their lives stolen from them. This administration has taken incremental but inadequate measures to defeat ISIS, and we remain vulnerable to these terrorists. We need a full spectrum effort to defeat this critical threat. This plan must include strengthening our borders, building a more robust regional coalition that will take the fight to ISIS, taking the gloves off our air campaign, using cyber warfare to undermine its recruiting and strangulating their financial efforts. The President needs to get serious and not just talk big to pacify our citizens.

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