Sec. 240. Sense of Congress on 30th anniversary of the Strategic Defense Initiative
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Congress finds the following: President Ronald Reagan in March 1983, in a speech from the oval office, laid the corner stone for a long-term research and development program to begin to achieve our ultimate goal of eliminating the threat posed by strategic nuclear missiles. President Reagan stated, I've become more and more deeply convinced that the human spirit must be capable of rising above dealing with other nations and human beings by threatening their existence * * * What if free people could live secure in the knowledge that their security did not rest upon the threat of instant United States retaliation to deter a Soviet attack, that we could intercept and destroy strategic ballistic missiles before they reached our own soil or that of our allies? .
The Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as Star Wars , challenged the nation to accomplish the impossible by moving beyond the obvious possibilities of the day to set the United States and our allies up for success. In 1999, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), National Missile Defense
(NMD)prototype interceptor successfully demonstrated “hit-to-kill” technology intercepting a modified Minuteman intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Congress passed the National Missile Defense Act of 1999 ( Public Law 106–38 ) (signed by President Clinton), which stated, 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) . On December 13, 2001, President George W. Bush announced I have concluded the ABM treaty hinders our government's ability to develop ways to protect our people from future terrorist or rogue state missile attacks . Russian President Vladimir Putin said the move was not a threat to the security of the Russian Federation . Since 2001, the United States has deployed considerable Missile Defense capability: 30 ground-based interceptors defending the continental U.S. today; 32 Aegis BMD ships; 113 SM–3 IA interceptors; 25 SM–3 IB interceptors; 3 THAAD batteries and 89 interceptors; and 8 AN/TPY–2 forward-based sensors. The United States has partnerships with 22 nations, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), for missile defense cooperation. Likewise, India and South Korea are developing missile defenses and the Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China are also developing and improving missile defenses. Since 2001 when they began development, United States missile defenses have had a test record of 58 of 73 hit-to-kill intercept attempts and have been successful across all programs of the integrated system, including Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and PATRIOT Advanced Capability–3. In July of 2004, the United States missile defense system was declared operational with limited capability. Since that time, it has offered defense against limited threats to the continental United States. The United States has cooperatively developed with our Israeli allies a number of missile defense systems including Arrow, Arrow 3 and David’s Sling, systems which will protector our Israeli allies and contribute technology and expertise to United States systems. The United States in support of NATO deployed a Patriot missile battery to defend the population and territory of Turkey and provide material support for Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty in the event of spillover from the Syrian civil war and has deployed Phase I of the European Phased Adaptive Approach, which includes a transportable x-band radar array and an on-station AEGIS ballistic missile defense ship armed with Standard Missile 3 block IA missile interceptors. When United States territory, deployed forces and allies were threatened by North Korean ballistic missiles the United States had the operational capability and national will to deploy THAAD units to Guam to provide a defensive shield. The United States continues to work jointly with Japan to improve the Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense
(BMD)which in addition to providing missile defense in the Pacific is also a keystone in the Phased Adaptive Approach for European missile defense. On-going research and development under the auspices of the Missile Defense Agency will continue to expand the technology envelope to deploy a layered missile defense system capable of defending the homeland, our military forces deployed overseas, friendly nations and our allies against all ballistic missiles from launch and orbit to reentry. A credible ballistic missile defense system is critical to the national defense of the United States. Congress— recognizes the inspiring leadership of President Ronald Reagan to maintain the peace through strength ; recognizes the enduring obligation President as Commander in Chief to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution ; commemorates the vision of President Reagan on the 30th anniversary of the Strategic Defense Initiative; believes that it is imperative that the United States continue fielding a robust missile defense system, including additional ground based interceptors; and commits to supporting continued investments in future missile defense capabilities and emerging technologies such as directed energy and railguns.
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Sec. 240
Sense of Congress on 30th anniversary of the Strategic Defense Initiative
Pub. L.Pub. L. 106-38
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