Thad Cochran: “It is so small and clear and concise that I could almost recite it. But the operative words are that it will be the…”

“It is so small and clear and concise that I could almost recite it. But the operative words are that it will be the policy upon the passage of this legislation for the United States to deploy a missile defense system--an effective missile defense system--that would be capable of defending the United States against limited ballistic missile attack as soon as technologically possible, and that that attack would include missiles that were launched either intentionally, accidentally or unauthorized. The suggestion that we are insisting on the passage of this bill that the administration immediately deploy a system that may not be workable, that may not be operationally effective, ignores the clear wording of the legislation. It describes the missile defense system that we are directing be deployed as an effective ballistic missile system.”