OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

Date: June 18, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, our Nation's nuclear triad is an essential aspect of our national defense and makes the world safer by deterring our rivals and reassuring our allies. Every leg of the triad is critical and protects our Nation on a daily basis.

The Defense Department recently put forward a nuclear force structure plan under the New START Treaty. It is committed to maintaining 450 nuclear launchers in at least a warm status. In doing so, the Pentagon recognized the strategic value of preserving our robust nuclear deterrent capability. Just last month, the House of Representatives reaffirmed its support for the triad and for maintaining the current ICBM force.

Unfortunately, the base bill includes language that could open the door for the premature decommissioning of our Nation's missile silos. I believe this would be unwise.

My amendment ensures the United States has maximum flexibility to respond to nuclear threats and makes it more difficult for adversaries to target our nuclear assets. Maintaining our nuclear launchers provides our commanders with the tools necessary to respond to potential nuclear threats against the American people and, importantly, our allies.

Recently, I visited Montana's Malmstrom Air Force Base and heard firsthand from missileers about their very critical mission.

In fact, I have in my hand today the Malmstrom commander coin, which expresses why the nuclear deterrence they help operate still works. It simply says this:

Scaring the hell out of America's enemies since 1962.

I urge House passage of my amendment to help protect this critically important capability.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAINES. While I appreciate the gentleman's comments, we have the strong support of HASC, and this is just ensuring that we don't have a decommissioning moving forward here as we reconcile both the appropriations with the NDAA.

I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward