Pete Sessions: “between November 2006 and January 2007, Iran tested its long-range ballistic missile capacities twice. In July 2006…”

“between November 2006 and January 2007, Iran tested its long-range ballistic missile capacities twice. In July 2006, North Korea also tested a number of its ballistic missiles, including one that has a range of 9,000 miles and could hit parts of the United States of America. In response to North Korea's test, the United States' Northern Command made nearly a dozen of our anti-ballistic missiles operational, or ready to use, to defend the United States against an imminent danger posed by ballistic missiles. North Korea's long-range missiles were detected by United States satellites within seconds, and, thankfully, the missile failed after 42 seconds and after only several hundred miles of flight but North Korea and many of our strategic rivals and enemies continue to develop their missile capacities. Now, it is the time for America's adversaries to understand that America must not have an unwillingness to put its missile defense system on operational alert in the face of imminent threat. Section 222 of this legislation that we are debating tonight would prevent the missile defense funds authorized by this legislation from being used for operational and support activities.”