Susan Collins

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.

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

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.

Then what explains that delay, days of delay?

Alaska is part of the United States, full stop.

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.

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.

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

I would associate myself with everything that you just said.

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.

As the Senator from Alaska would tell us all, Alaskan airspace is American airspace, period.

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.

But do you think if we had an American surveillance balloon going over sensitive Chinese Military sites; that the Chinese Government would have, for a minute, hesitated before taking it down?

Then what explains that delay, days of delay?

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

It is a huge swath of air space that includes the airspace over territorial waters.

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

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.

What a pleasure it is to join Senator Wicker in paying tribute to our dear friends and outstanding colleagues, Senators Jim Inhofe and Richard Shelby. We could talk about their accomplishments on the floor for many, many hours, but in the…

I wouldn't be surprised if a Senator or House member were killed.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lawmaker ended up getting killed.

I wouldn`t be surprised if a senator or House member were killed.