On the recordJuly 15, 1998
the Preamble to the United States Constitution states that the Federal Government shall have the responsibility to provide for the common defense. Protecting our national security is, in fact, the first duty and the primary obligation of the President, our commander-in-chief. But America is vulnerable today, vulnerable to a missile attack from abroad. It is a shame that it has taken nuclear blasts in India and Pakistan to convince American leaders that the time to act is now. Many Americans are unaware of this, but if a missile were fired at an American city, the United States would be defenseless against it. This is a shocking realization when you consider that there are many nations that have the capability of reaching American soil with long-range nuclear missiles. The potential threat to every child in America demands that we take decisive action to protect ourselves from the uncertainty that exists in the world today. It is time to honor our obligation to the Constitution and to the American people by building a missile defense system. No less than the security of our Nation and the safety of our children is at stake.
Source
govinfo.gov




