Jeff Bingaman: “The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, which oversees missile defense research and development, did an interview in…”

“The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, which oversees missile defense research and development, did an interview in February talking about their so-called space-based test bed, which is what I am addressing my amendment to here. The thrust of what they described in that interview was they intend to field satellites armed with multiple hit-to-kill interceptors that are capable of destroying a ballistic missile through a high-speed collision shortly after it is launched. This might be something we decide we have to do, but, to my knowledge, that debate has not occurred in Congress, and I do not want to see us proceeding down that road without the Congress having focused on it, having actually specifically authorized it. Therefore, my amendment tries to clarify that is, in fact, what is required before we can proceed down that road. We will do so. We will begin that process by setting up this so-called test bed in space. Those satellites will be the beginning of that process.”