Mike Quigley: “Over the next decade, the U.S. is set to spend hundreds of billions of dollars operating and upgrading our nuclear…”

“Over the next decade, the U.S. is set to spend hundreds of billions of dollars operating and upgrading our nuclear arsenal. But in this budget environment, every dollar we spend to keep our outdated and oversized nuclear arsenal functioning is a dollar we aren't spending on other priorities that keep us safe and secure or on reducing our unsustainable debt and deficits. That is why the amendment I am offering with Mr. Polis will put $167 million towards deficit reduction by placing funding for the new nuclear-armed cruise missile warhead back on its original 2015 acquisition schedule. In the FY 2015 budget, production of the warhead was scheduled to begin in 2027, but this year's budget request sped up the development for the warhead by 2 years. This is despite the fact that the existing air-launched cruise missile and warhead isn't being phased out until the 2030s. And there is plenty of uncertainty about whether this program is affordable or even necessary. Chairman Simpson is so concerned about the cost of the warhead that language was included in the E and W report to require a red team assessment on the affordability of the program--and for good reason, given our history of spending large amounts of money on warhead programs that end up getting tabled. Given the cost concerns over the program, does it really make sense to rush the acquisition process?…”