Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is simply not necessary, as it is a solution in search of a problem. Now, the budget request for fiscal year 2018 has no funding for reducing the level or reducing the number of deployed ICBMs below 400, and there are no plans to do so in the future. It also presupposes the completion of the nuclear posture review, which is currently ongoing and is expected at the end of this year. So instead of jumping the gun and acting precipitously, we should allow the administration time to finish the review and base our actions on its findings. This is particularly true because it may be that reducing the number of ICBMs and reducing alert levels could, in fact, be beneficial to enhance strategic stability. Preventing such a reduction also disregards the crucial and fundamental role of our Nation's submarines, which provide an assured, survivable second-strike capability, and which dissuades an adversary from thinking they could launch a disarming attack against the United States. ICBMs can be seen as destabilizing in that they would force a very rapid decision by the President and are use-or-lose nuclear weapons. History has shown us concerns about the potential for a rushed decision in response to a false alarm that none of us wish to see repeated. Mr.…”