Harry Reid: “For years, the plan for missile defense, which is placed in Alaska, provided for 20 interceptors. Suddenly, this year…”

“For years, the plan for missile defense, which is placed in Alaska, provided for 20 interceptors. Suddenly, this year the administration asked for 10 additional interceptors. My amendment will simply fence the acquisition of these interceptors pending operational testing. These interceptors and their warheads have never been used in interceptor tests. They are virtually untested. The underlying amendment would allow for the acquisition but would condition that on operational testing. I think we will learn a lot from operational testing. I think we should have operational testing. The question is, Why do we want to buy 10 additional interceptors until we learn what we must before we commit to this $500 million acquisition? I hope my colleagues will support me in this effort.”