Letter to Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defense - Stop New Efforts to Perform Environmental Study on ICBM Fleet

Letter

Dear Secretary Hagel:

We write to express our strongest concern that the Defense Department has requested the Air Force to begin an environmental assessment related to our country's intercontinental ballistic missile force, even though Congress expressly precluded funding for such an assessment in the fiscal year 2014 consolidated appropriations measure. We urge the Defense Department to categorically cease from pursuing this misguided and premature action.

We strongly believe maintaining our current ICBM capability is vital to promoting peace and keeping our country and allies safe from current and emerging threats. Accordingly, we are deeply concerned that moving forward with an environmental assessment could foreshadow ill-advised efforts to reduce our ICBM force beyond those required by the New START Treaty. We are also concerned that beginning an ICBM environmental assessment could significantly damage the morale of airmen working on this crucial mission. We therefore request the Defense Department to withdraw its request for the Air Force to begin an environmental assessment.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your timely response.