WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) calls defending U.S. national security the core function of the federal government, and he believes, to be more effective, military spending needs an overhaul.

"There's a large chunk of the current budget at the Pentagon that can be re-purposed towards the things that ought to be focused upon," Rep. Roy told CBN News.

He points to excessive bureaucracy, outdated contracts, and other inefficiencies existing within the Department of Defense (DOD) from past administrations, and applauds Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth's efforts to identify savings.

"We can be smart about how we build out the military, find savings, repurpose it, focus on true pay and assets, but also use some of the mandatory spending options in the reconciliation process to be able to use money wisely," Roy explained.

While also supporting President Trump's "peace through strength" approach, Roy warns against the kinds of past military operations that have drained U.S. resources.

"You don't want to rack up costs, as we did, unfortunately, through endless wars over the last 20-odd years, where you spent over seven or $8 trillion and then ended up abandoning Afghanistan and leaving assets on the field," Roy said.

Although the Pentagon is likely to receive a significant budget increase, he stresses the need for accountability, eliminating waste, and ensuring money goes to necessary projects.

"We need to make sure that we have a modern development and infrastructure, with respect to our missile technology, including nuclear deterrence. We need to make sure that we've got the best drone technology in the world. We've got to make sure we've got the best technology in the world, in respect to missile defense, whether that's an Iron Dome or, as the president called, a 'Golden Dome,'" Roy said.

The congressman also worries about America's ship-building program, which he says needs to be "re-energized," then focused on modernizing the U.S. fleet, so it can continue to provide a safety net in an increasingly complex global environment.