Bipartisan National Security Leaders for America Endorse Rep. Elaine Luria in VA-02

Bipartisan National Security Leaders for America
Endorse Congresswoman Luria in VA-02

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Former small business owner and 20-year Navy veteran Congresswoman Elaine Luria received an endorsement from National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) this week, a bipartisan organization dedicated to supporting strong national security and democracy. The NSL4A endorsement can be found here.

NSL4A is comprised of more than 500 former senior leaders from the military and national security-related government agencies, as well as elected officials at the state and local levels. It includes retired general and flag officers, ambassadors, cabinet and service secretaries, appointed and elected officials, and members of the Senior Executive Service.

“As a 20-year Navy veteran, I am honored to receive this endorsement from a bipartisan group of experienced national security professionals who have dedicated their lives to keeping America safe,” Congresswoman Elaine Luria said. “I will continue to live up to the oath I took at 17 years old to protect and defend our democracy from all enemies and ensure that our military remains the best in the world.”

The Congresswoman is the Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee and serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, House Veterans Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Congresswoman Luria is the strongest anti-China hawk in Congress and has secured billions in defense investments to grow the Navy, ensure readiness, and has repeatedly called to end strategic ambiguity and defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.

So much so that Jen Kiggans plagiarized an op-ed written by Congresswoman Luria taking direct language from the Congresswoman’s piece, which advocated for increased defense spending to grow the Navy and counter China. Experts called Kiggans’ email “really bizarre.”

Included in this year’s defense budget is an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Luria and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) to increase defense spending by $37 billion, including at least $7.4 billion to combat inflation, more than $4 billion for ship procurement and maintenance, over $1.6 billion in research and development funding, and $550 million for security assistance to Ukraine.

In 2021, Congresswoman Luria joined Republicans in supporting an amendment that added $25 billion to the defense budget for significant investments in public and private shipyards and the industrial base, building three destroyers, protecting three cruisers and other seapower platforms that will counter threats from China, Russia, and Iran.

The Congresswoman also recently received the Navy League’s Congressional Sea Services Award for her tireless a city to grow our nation’s maritime forces, bipartisan commitment to a strong national defense, and support for our servicemembers and military families in September.

In April, Congresswoman Luria demanded answers from the Navy about conditions aboard USS George Washington after seven service members assigned to the ship died within the past year. She toured USS George Washington, met with Navy and ship leadership and heard directly from sailors aboard about their concerns. Congresswoman Luria also urged the Navy to expand mental health services and support aboard the ship.

Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia’s Second Congressional District, which includes all of Accomack and Northampton Counties, the cities of Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, as well as portions of Norfolk City, Hampton, and York and James City Counties. The new district lines will include all of Accomack, Isle of Wight, and Northampton Counties, the cities of Franklin, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, as well as portions of Chesapeake and Southampton Counties. Congresswoman Luria serves as the Vice Chair on the House Armed Services Committee as well as on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and Readiness Subcommittee, the House Veterans Affairs Committee where she is the Chair of the Disability and Memorial Assistance Subcommittee, and the House Committee on Homeland Security. In July of 2021, Congresswoman Luria was appointed to serve on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. In 2020, Congresswoman Luria was elected to a second term. Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has been added to the DCCC’s Frontline program for 2022.