McCormick visited Sechan Electronics in Lititz to discuss the future of the Pennsylvania defense industry.
LITITZ, Pa. — As fighting between the United States and Iran continues, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said Pennsylvania manufacturers will play a critical role in rebuilding America’s military while defending the Trump administration’s strategy in the conflict.
McCormick visited Sechan Electronics in Lititz on Monday, touring the employee-owned defense manufacturer that produces electronic systems used by the U.S. military.
The visit follows the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit held earlier this month at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, where $10 billion in new investment in the state’s defense industry was announced.
McCormick said the summit was designed to position Pennsylvania as a leader in future defense spending.
“The goal of that is to make Pennsylvania the point of the spear in all this new spending and in really revamping our military,” McCormick said.
The Republican senator said the United States must rebuild both its traditional defense manufacturing base and invest in emerging technologies such as drones and autonomous systems.
“We have to have a really strong defense industrial base,” McCormick said. “America needs to essentially rebuild its defense industrial base.”
During his tour, McCormick praised Sechan’s employee-owned business model, saying it gives workers a direct stake in the company’s success while helping attract and retain skilled labor.
He also said expanding the defense industry will require a larger workforce.
“We don’t have enough workers to meet this demand,” McCormick said. “These are qualified welders and electricians and steam fitters and pipe fitters. This is a bonanza for skilled workers, and we need to make sure we meet the need.”
McCormick said he also wants to streamline the military procurement process and give manufacturers greater certainty about future contracts so they can invest in expanding production.
Sechan is one of several Pennsylvania companies McCormick has highlighted as key contributors to the nation’s defense industry, alongside Kratos Defense in York County and Advanced Cooling Technologies in Lancaster County.
The senator’s visit came as renewed fighting with Iran has drawn scrutiny over U.S. military spending and strategy. The conflict has also pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel and Pennsylvania’s average gasoline price above $4.23 per gallon.
McCormick acknowledged the higher fuel costs are affecting Pennsylvanians but said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains the top priority.
“I understand it’s imposing real challenges on many Pennsylvanians. Gas prices are up a buck a gallon. People feel that,” McCormick said. “So I don’t mean to, in any way, minimize the impact of that. But we can’t have Iran with a nuclear weapon.”
Asked whether the Trump administration’s shifting negotiations with Iran indicate a lack of a cohesive strategy, McCormick said the administration’s objective has remained consistent.
“The goal is clear, and President Trump’s been unequivocally clear,” he said. “We can’t have Iran with a nuclear weapon.”
McCormick also expressed confidence that the United States has sufficient military resources to continue operations while investing in the future of the defense industry.
“What the Iran War is showing us, and Ukraine too, is we need to move fast in terms of revamping our defense industrial base,” McCormick said.