 but they are essential for our long-term survival. Congress has to prioritize the truly essential needs of our nation, and our national security has to be at the top of that list. At the same time, we must address the hollowing out of our defense infrastructure. The 2024 Index of Military Strength is something I know many of you are familiar with in this room. It ranks the Army's and the Marine Corps' capacity as weak, the Navy's capacity as very weak,