Political Quotes

“The NNSA's weapons activities program is the core of the U.S. nuclear modernization efforts. Reductions of this magnitude, the $245 million being proposed in this amendment, will endanger the nuclear deterrent by delaying or canceling key warhead life-extension programs and facilitate modernization programs. These cuts will also cost taxpayers more in the future because the modernization program that the Obama administration has requested must be done and will only get more expensive with time. President Obama committed to request robust funding for nuclear modernization to win Senate ratification of his New START treaty program. But unfortunately, to date, he's $1.6 billion behind in that commitment for FY 12 through FY 14. Without these robust funding levels, our ability to safely reduce the New START levels is in question. The President's 2010 nuclear posture review says: These investments are essential to facilitating reductions while sustaining deterrents under the New START and beyond. With this tight budget, we must provide every dollar we can to nuclear modernization efforts and prevent the draconian further reductions required by this amendment. NNSA is the only national security spending in this bill. Taking money from NNSA to pay for renewable energy directly undermines our national security to subsidize energy technologies that can't stand on their own in the market. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR.…”