By Rep. Brad Wenstrup The country we call the United States of America today was once an act of bold imagination. When our Founding Fathers put ink to parchment and penned the words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident…," there was no blueprint for them to follow. When the Second Continental Congress ratified the final text of this Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, it was launching into uncharted territory. They were creating a vision for a country that did not yet exist. As Ronald Reagan would later say, "This idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man." Over the years, those words on parchment, our Declaration of Independence, were built into a nation -- forged in the fires of revolution and civil war, and stretching from coast to coast across a continent. There were growing pains and flaws to be mended, but that same bold imagination responsible for our birth has continued to define our march towards the future. It has redefined the possibilities of representative democracy, proving that people have a right to the dignity of self determination and the ability to direct their own governance. It was American imagination that created this blueprint for modern democracy that countries around the world today have adopted, learned from, and used as a model for their own governments. It has spurred progress, innovation, and invention. It was American imagination that made the world hold its breath as Neil Armstrong's voice crackled over the airwaves from a place no human had stepped before: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." It is also what pushes us towards fuller realizations of the ideals our Founders outlined. It was the ability to imagine a better and more just future that led Martin Luther King, Jr.'s voice to ring out across the National Mall with four words that would define a movement and reverberate across generations: "I have a dream." Dr. King would go on to say: "When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness… We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice." That is what our Founders gave us that day: a bold vision for something that did not yet exist. An invitation to believe, to dream, and to fight for its realization. Think about it: the world they were living in at the time was not yet a reflection of the words on that parchment. Yet, these early Americans were able to look past what was and envision what could be. With this great act of imagination, they were setting the tone for what America should look like, what freedom should look like, what justice and equality should look like. There are eras in our history when we have failed these ideals, but these ideals have never failed us. At times, we have failed us. With every passing generation, we must strive to live up to our ideals and our virtues more fully and thus empower all to live more freely. America is not exceptional because it is perfect. America is exceptional because the greatness of the ideas upon which it was founded transcend any human efforts to fulfill them. They must outlive and outlast each of us. They are both a battle cry and an invitation to every generation: Come, let us imagine a world that is more just, more civil, more peaceful, and more free. Let us work to make it so. Today, as we commemorate the birth of our country, we are grateful for Americans of every color, race, and creed throughout our history who have sacrificed and spoken out, battled and bled for this nation. But now, the torch has been passed to us. As Abraham Lincoln said, "It is for us the living to…highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." We own this moment in history. It is our responsibility to harness every ounce of energy, optimism, and imagination to live up to the values that were outlined on that piece of parchment so many years ago. It will not be easy. There is always a cost. It will require sacrifice, compromise, and great commitment. It will require us to bridge the chasms that divide us and remember what unites us. We must continue in the footsteps of every generation that came before us, who fought to leave the flame of freedom burning a bit brighter. Our nation is worth it. God bless the United States of America.

By Brad Wenstrup At this point, it is no secret that COVID-19 has underscored our nation's supply chains' fragility and highlighted the security risks posed by an over-reliance on nations that serve as our greatest strategic competitors. This is also not a revelation: In July 2017, President Trump directed the Secretary of Defense to assess supply chain resiliency and the strength of the U.S. manufacturing and defense industrial base. The subsequent report, which was issued in September 2018, found that a "surprising level of foreign dependence on competitor nations exists." As we approach two years since that report was published, we must ask ourselves why we are still left vulnerable today. In part, it is due to the fact that restructuring production and supply chains are a complex undertaking fraught with competing interests. It is also because, without disruption, the "tyranny of the urgent" propels priorities elsewhere. It brings to mind a 2016 House Armed Services Committee debate over the Berry Amendment, which requires standard issuance military equipment to be domestically-made whenever possible -- even down to running shoes. In times of peace, having this debate can feel costly and time-consuming. During uncertainty or insecurity, it becomes a national security priority. That time is now. We cannot afford to wait until the next national crisis to rectify the critical vulnerabilities that are already known. As the administration spearheads the government-wide efforts needed to reduce our dependency on competitor nations, I believe there are three principles that should frame these policy discussions and decisions: National security is a priority. As we navigate a complex U.S.-China relationship, current security risks compel us to first approach resolving our supply chain dependencies through the lens of national security. The most immediate priority is conducting a strategic, data-driven assessment of production and supply chain bottlenecks and restructure areas that are most critical to resourcing our nation's defense. In the past, that has centered on commodities like steel and oil. Today, critical points in our supply chain range from pharmaceutical inputs for generic drugs and personal protective equipment to carbon fibers, semiconductor components, and the glass used for DoD's night vision systems. However, simply reacting to today's crises often means equipping servicemembers for yesterday's battles. Our supply chain strategy must also project and address the supply demands of a future force combatting the crises and conflicts of tomorrow. As current and future warfare is increasingly waged in the cyber and space domains, alongside land, air, and sea battlespaces, the government must work with private sector partners to create viable alternatives to China's Huawei 5G infrastructure, and we must get serious about ensuring cyber resiliency for critical infrastructure. COVID-19 has only exposed America to increased vulnerability as more platforms migrate online to accommodate a remote workforce. Redundancy isn't optional. This is a key element of military preparedness. Diversification of key supply chains -- both at the source and manufacturing levels --eliminates the weaknesses of relying on a single major supplier -- whether a politically unstable country or a competitor like China. Redundancy also al-lows for critical surge capabilities during a crisis or national emergency. We've seen this sorely lacking throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. From a national security lens, it is important to recognize our adversaries may not be in equally vulnerable positions. "Made in China 2025" is one example of an ongoing integrated military and economic strategy China has designed with the goal of becoming a largely independent scientific and technological power. The U.S. must make its own strategic investments. We cannot allow ourselves to be reliant on any single foreign source -- especially an adversary -- for critical supplies. Our access to diversified, secure supply chains directly enhances America's ability to defend herself. Dependency is a weakness, but alliances can be a strength. While strengthening our domestic manufacturing and defense industrial base is the first priority, there will be opportunities to work alongside trusted allies to enhance this process -- from identifying joint vulnerabilities to developing sustainable alternatives to our dependency on geopolitical rivals that could prove unreliable or adversarial during a crisis or conflict. This may include collaborating with allies, such as Canada, the U.K., and Australia, through structures like the National Technology and Industrial Base, where we can address joint industrial base challenges and increase investment in advanced research and development. The key is that our strategic partnerships must not be built off dependency, but rather bolstered by robust domestic capabilities. This will allow us to harness the innovation and advancements of allied nations without sacrificing our own security. Building resiliency within U.S. supply chains has always been important. Now, it is also urgent. Times of crisis are often times of great opportunity. All sectors of our government must work together to harness the increased clarity afforded by the coronavirus outbreak and to craft and execute a strategic, sustainable framework for better resourcing our Armed Forces and, for that matter, the entire United States of America.

By Brad Wenstrup The American flag was born amid a revolution. It was stitched together by the fingers of Philadelphian seamstress Betsy Ross, legend has it, and confirmed by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, as the colonies were still besieged by British forces in the struggle for autonomy and self-determination. Today, we hang it in our schools and fly it in our front yards, but it began as a battle flag. Freedom never comes without a cost, without struggle or sacrifice. Our flag has evolved since those early days. Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed laws several times to change the arrangement of the flag and add stars to the design with the admission of each new state. In the same way, our country has evolved and must continue to evolve. Part of the legacy of the American dream is that each generation works to create a better future for their children. We strive to leave the country in the next generation's hands a little better than how we found it: more prosperous and more peaceful, yes, but also more free. Our founding document commits every generation to working towards "a more perfect Union." In order to do so, America must ensure that all of its citizens are guaranteed their God-given birthrights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, bolstered by the belief that all are created equal and deserve equal justice. The American flag represents the most inclusive experiment in the history of humanity: a nationality based not on origin, but on the shared ideal that all human beings are created equal and endowed by God with certain inalienable rights. When we fail to live up to that fundamental truth, both historically and today, it is to our entire nation's deep detriment. We betray ourselves. As Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." When American citizens are able to protest peacefully while being protected by police, that is our strength. When we engage in bipartisan conversations and craft thoughtful legislation, that is our strength. When we hold democratic elections, that is our strength. We have a sacred duty to do better than previous generations as we work to "mend our every flaw," as it says in the song "America the Beautiful." We owe this to the American flag -- the flag that has stood for freedom from the beaches of Normandy to the streets of Hong Kong. The flag that has been lovingly draped over the coffins of freedom fighters of every color, race, and creed. The flag that will wave over the nation that our children call home. Our pledge of "liberty and justice for all" is not a box that was checked back in 1776. It is a battle cry -- for us, and for every generation, to keep fighting until there is "liberty and justice for all" who live under Old Glory. It is up to each and every one of us to live up to the values for which our flag stands.