Thad Cochran: “if the Senator would yield, it seems to me clear from the language in the bill that we contemplate the development of a…”

“if the Senator would yield, it seems to me clear from the language in the bill that we contemplate the development of a system that is effective. We use that word--an ``effective'' ballistic missile defense, and that the deployment would take place when it is technologically possible. So when the technology is matured, it is proven to work, and we know the missile system would be effective to defend against ballistic missile attack. That is what the sentiment is. That is the policy that is reflected in the language that is used in the bill. So that is consistent with the intent that this Senator has, as an author of the bill. And in discussing it with other cosponsors, I think that is the sentiment of the Senate and would be reflected in future authorization and appropriations measures. That is another part to this as well. And one of the concerns, I think, with the amendment that the Senator has sent to the desk is that it could be construed, with a delegation of authority to the executive branch, to remove Congress from the decisionmaking process. We think Congress has a very important role to play in oversight and also in the authorization of deployment and the funding of deployment decisions that will be made in this weapons system development and deployment.”