Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. TURNER. I have an amendment at the desk

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Mr. TURNER (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.

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Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 2906.

I offer this amendment in response to the President's recent address in Berlin in which he outlined his plan to further reduce the United States strategic nuclear arsenal below acceptable levels and in contravention of current law.

The President's latest proposal would once again call for unilateral reductions in our strategic nuclear arsenal at a time when countries like Russia and China continue to expand and modernize their nuclear capabilities.

To make matters worse, the President has undertaken this most recent effort without the consent of the United States Senate, as required under the Arms Control and Disarmament Act, which states international agreements cannot limit or reduce the military forces of the United States unless enacted pursuant to a treaty or congressional-executive agreement.

Not only do the President's continued calls for weapons reductions jeopardize the safety and security of the United States, but he compromises the safety of our partner nations.

It is unacceptable that the President continues to make secret deals with countries like Russia while at the same time breaking promises with the American people and our allies.

The current threat environment around the world is very real and should not be underestimated. A robust nuclear arsenal is critical in deterring against emerging threats like Iran and North Korea.

My amendment simply ensures that none of the funds appropriated by this act may be used to further reduce nuclear force reductions outside of the formal process established under existing law.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. Turner. Great. Because you would agree that our ability to have a long-term ability for production, in a production infrastructure should be a basis for us considering whether or not we reduce any of our hedge in case there isn't an issue with the weapons that we have.

General Kehler. Sir, I think that is one consideration. I don't think that is the only consideration. And I think that there are some scenarios that you can unfold where an interim strategy will serve us even under some technical issues. So I--but I think for the United States of America in the long term that we want a permanent solution to the nuclear enterprise that includes a permanent solution to the plutonium.

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