Throughout much of my career, I have warned that the United States cannot remain secure if it allows hostile or unreliable actors to control the systems and supply chains that fortify our nation. Cement may not command headlines like missiles or cyber-weapons, but it is no less fundamental to America’s ability to deter adversaries, withstand crises, and prevail in times of conflict.

Cement is a truly strategic material — the literal bedrock of American hard power. It forms the foundation of our runways and hangars, our ports and shipyards, our missile silos and hardened command centers, our power plants, refineries, and energy infrastructure. It anchors the hospitals, emergency operations centers, and data centers that must remain resilient under attack or amid a catastrophe if our government is to continue operating.