Sequestration hurt the military's morale, but lawmakers are on the path to rebuilding the military's budget, Rep. Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL, said Wednesday.
"As you know very well, our troops are going to do their job no matter what," the Virginia Republican told Fox News' "Fox and Friends."
"We are getting on the path to rebuilding this military with the budget numbers. Of course, we had to make sure that we fund the government and we don't have to shut it down."
The military must also be reoriented, said Taylor, "to understand software as opposed to just hardware, all those things that are necessary to fight today's wars and tomorrow's."
The United States should be focused on preparation for both a conventional war and a counterinsurgency, said Taylor.
"Not that it's eminent but we have to prepare for a rising Russia or China," said Taylor. "Our military will do their duty. They will be prepared. It is important that the president and the Congress make sure that we understand that we fund our troops in a needed way to make sure they have the maintenance and readiness and training to be able to rise to any occasion."
Taylor also gave an Independence Day message to the military, saying he has the "great honor and the duty" to represent Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which "has more military and veterans than anyone in the nation. We stand for our flag around here. We are proud of our men and women."
"Our families understand this is the burden of sacrificing for freedom, freedom to worship and speak," he added. "Think how you want, freedom from tyranny, we will be there."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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