Senate Considers Amendments to Strengthen Missile Defense

Washington,  D.C. (June 23,  2009)—Bipartisan amendments to be offered today during the Senate Armed Services Committee markup of the defense department authorization bill would strengthen America’s missile defenses against rogue regimes.

Offered by Senators Begich (D-AK) and Sessions (R-AL), one amendment seeks to restore to 44 the number of ground based interceptors deployed to protect the United States.  President Obama’s 2010 budget seeks to cut $1.4 billion from the missile defense budget from 2009 levels.

“As the threat from rogue regimes grows, the United States must bolster our missile defense capabilities,” said FDD President Clifford May.  “Recent missile tests by North Korea, the government crackdown in Iran, and Al Qaeda’s expressed interest in obtaining Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal show that the threat is real.  Effective layered missile defense is the best, peaceful way to protect ourselves and all people from the threat posed by these dictatorial regimes and terrorists.”

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