Alaska is part of the United States, full stop.

It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot down this spy balloon prior to the Coast of South Carolina.

This was a serious and blatant attempt by the Chinese to collect valuable data.

It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot down this spy balloon prior to the Coast of South Carolina.

The best way to avoid conflict with China is for President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party to have no doubt regarding the resolve of the U.S. Government to defend our territory and our interests.

Alaska is part of the United States, full stop.

Then what explains that delay, days of delay?

It seems to me when you have a craft that is violating international airspace, and you have sensitive military installations... we should treat it the same.

Why wouldn't a foreign military surveillance aircraft, violating U.S. airspace inherently be considered to have hostile intent?

It is sparsely populated, they are territorial waters, and it is a huge Defense Identification Zone.

I think you hear great frustration, and a great deal of concern about the message that has been sent to China.

I think they would not hesitate if we violated their territorial airspace, to disable, and take down our surveillance platform.

It seems to me when you have a craft that is violating international airspace, and you have sensitive military installations... we should treat it the same.

The best way to avoid conflict with China is for President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party to have no doubt regarding the resolve of the U.S. Government to defend our territory and our interests.

Then what explains that delay, days of delay?

It is sparsely populated, they are territorial waters, and it is a huge Defense Identification Zone.

Why wouldn't a foreign military surveillance aircraft, violating U.S. airspace inherently be considered to have hostile intent?

I rise today to join in the reintroduction of the Reproductive Freedom for All Act, a bipartisan bill that would restore the previous legal framework that governed abortion access in this country for nearly 50 years since Roe v. Wade. This…