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Rep. Curt Weldon - Prepared Statement

18 June 1996 - House National Security Committee
Subcommittees on Military Research and Development and Military Procurement
Near-Term National Missile Defense Options

The Research and Development and Procurement Subcommittees meet jointly this afternoon to receive testimony on near-term National Missile Defense (NMD) options. My colleagues will recall that we had originally scheduled this hearing earlier in the year, but Deputy Secretary of Defense John White did not allow the witnesses to appear. I was disappointed with that decision because I felt, and still feel, that we need to get all relevant information out in the open and available to Members of Congress and the American public. Such public discussion is the prerequisite of a truly informed debate on this important yet controversial issue of deploying a National Missile Defense.

I am pleased to note that none of our three witnesses today appear to be wearing "muzzles" -- Deputy Secretary White's "gag order" having been lifted -- but instead are ready to describe for us how they believe the Nation could deploy an effective, affordable system to defeat a limited ballistic attack against the people and territory of the United States.

Our "un-muzzled" witnesses are:

- Rear Admiral Richard West, Acting Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Admiral, I understand this is your first appearance before this Committee and the Congress and we welcome you. You have some large shoes to fill, with General O'Neill's departure, but we appreciate your reputation as a "straight shooter";

- Lieutenant General Jay Garner, Commanding General, U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command, whose long-time involvement in and advocacy of missile defense is well known; and

- Major General Robert Linhard, Director of Plans, U.S. Air Force. General Linhard has spent a significant part of his illustrious career working on strategic nuclear forces and arms control and thus brings considerable expertise to this matter. In fact, General Linhard played a central role in negotiations at the Reykjavik Summit between President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev. That summit, you may recall held promise of an agreement banning long-range missiles, but ultimately foundered on Mr. Gorbachev's insistence on restricting SDI to the laboratory.

I know I speak for all my colleagues in welcoming you, gentlemen, to the Committee this afternoon.

Before turning to the witnesses for their opening statements, allow me to offer a few brief comments.

It shouldn't surprise anyone to hear that I strongly support the deployment of a National Missile Defense system for the American people. A vulnerable America will, I believe, undermine U.S. credibility as we seek to influence events and promote our interests across the globe. A vulnerable America is more prone to shrink back into its shell just at a time when American activism and leadership is needed in the world -- leadership that can promote democracy and economic freedom, contain aggression in various regions of the globe, and reduce tensions among competing players who rightly view America as a stabilizing influence.

My strong support for a National Missile Defense is matched, however, by an "open mind" when it comes to the appropriate technology and system that ought to be deployed. President Reagan got it right when spoke of turning America's brightest scientists and engineers to the task of defending against ballistic missiles -- and much, much progress has been achieved since the early 1980's. It is a tribute to Ronald Reagan's vision that we can state categorically today that missile defense is indeed technologically feasible -- despite the pundits' earlier, derisive claims that "it'll never work". Furthermore, it is important to note that there are affordable options for defending the American people against the threat posed by ballistic missiles -- as a result of the investments made over the past decade and a half.

Now all we need is the political will to field such a system.

Let's now turn to our distinguished witnesses. Admiral West, please proceed, followed by Generals Garner and Linhard.