Sec. 1648. Sense of Congress on importance of independent nuclear deterrent of United Kingdom
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/bill/114/hr/4909/eh/section-1648A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the United States believes that the independent nuclear deterrent and decision-making of the United Kingdom provides a crucial contribution to international stability, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance, and the national security of the United States; nuclear deterrence is and will continue to be the highest priority mission of the Department of Defense and the United States benefits when the closest ally of the United States clearly and unequivocally sets similar priorities; the United States sees the nuclear deterrent of the United Kingdom as central to trans-Atlantic security and to the commitment of the United Kingdom to NATO to spend two percent of gross domestic product on defense; the commitment of the United Kingdom to maintain a continuous at-sea deterrence posture today and in the future complements the deterrent capabilities of the United States and provides a credible second center of decision making which ensures potential attackers cannot discount the solidarity of the mutual relationship of the United States and the United Kingdom; the United States Navy must execute the Ohio-class replacement submarine program on time and within budget, seeking efficiencies and cost savings wherever possible, to ensure that the program delivers a Common Missile Compartment, the Trident II
(D5)Strategic Weapon System, and associated equipment and production capabilities, that support the successful development and deployment of the Vanguard-successor submarines of the United Kingdom; and the close technical collaboration, especially expert mutual scientific peer review, provides valuable resilience and cost effectiveness to the respective deterrence programs of the United States and the United Kingdom.