106TH CONGRESS 1st SESSION

S. 257

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

Mr. COCHRAN (for himself and Mr. INOUYE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

A BILL

To state the policy of the United States regarding the deployment of a missile defense system capable of defending the territory of the United States against limited ballistic missile attack.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "National Missile Defense Act of 1999".

SEC. 2. NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE POLICY. It is the policy of the United States to deploy as soon as is technologically possible an effective National Missile Defense system capable of defending the territory of the United States against limited ballistic missile attack (whether accidental, unauthorized, or deliberate).

(Congressional Record.)

National Missile Defense Act of 1999

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to announce today we are introducing, again, the National Missile Defense Act of 1999, a bill to make it the policy of the United States to deploy, as soon as technologically possible, a system to defend the United States against limited ballistic missile attack. I am happy to be joined by my friend, the distinguished Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye, in introducing this bill. And I am pleased that we have just heard that the Secretary of Defense has announced that funds will be included in this year's budget to pay for deployment of the National Missile Defense System, acknowledging that the threat does exist, or soon will. So the administration is changing its policy now, faced with this push that was begun in the last Congress and is culminating now in the reintroduction of this legislation.

Ballistic missiles are being developed and tested by a growing number of nations, some of which are hostile to the United States.

Iran has declared itself self-sufficient in missile technology and expertise. It is building a missile system capable of striking Central Europe.

Last year, North Korea surprised experts with its test of the Taepo Dong-1, a three-stage missile which, according to published reports, may be capable of reaching Alaska. Last July, the Rumsfeld Commission concluded that the United States may have ``little or no warning'' of the development of intercontinental ballistic missile capability by a rogue state.

The United States has no defense against long-range ballistic missiles, and administration policy had been limited to development of a missile defense system and deployment only if a threat developed. Now the threat has become obvious to the administration.

I welcome the announcement this morning by the Secretary of Defense that the administration is acknowledging the need to proceed with a program to develop a missile defense system to meet this threat and to deploy it. The time has come to remove all doubts about the resolve of the United States on this issue. The National Missile Defense Act of 1999 confirms this resolve as national policy.