Armed Services Dems Voted to Block Critical Missile Defense Funding

Brad Ellsworth Voted to Block Critical Missile Defense Funding
On the Same Day Obama Said North Korea Poses “A Grave Threat” to the U.S., Ellsworth Voted to Kill Amendments to Secure Necessary Funding to Protect U.S. Homeland

Washington- On Tuesday, just as President Barack Obama sounded warnings about the “grave threat” that North Korea could pose to the United States and to international stability as a whole, the U.S. House Armed Services Committee held a markup of the National Defense Authorization Act where several amendments were rejected to restore critical funding that Democrats have proposed cutting from the nation’s missile defense system.

“President Barack Obama said Tuesday that a nuclear-armed North Korea poses a ‘grave threat’ to the world, and he vowed to end a cycle of allowing Pyongyang to create crises and then be rewarded with incentives to back down….  On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Pentagon officials told a Senate committee that North Korea’s missiles could hit the United States in as few as three years if the North continues progress on its weapons system.  U.S. officials have said the North Koreans appear to be making preparations for a third nuclear test.” (Foster Klug, “Obama Says Nuclear-Armed NKorea ‘Grave Threat’,” Associated Press, June 16, 2009)

“It is no secret that both North Korea and Iran are both engaged in ramping up their nuclear and long-range missile capabilities, which is why Brad Ellsworth’s constituents will be alarmed to learn that he refused to support critical missile defense funding,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain.  “By allowing these cuts in defense spending, Brad Ellsworth and Democrats are weakening the United States’ abilities to ensure our national security, while simultaneously cutting good-paying American jobs.”

Yet, despite these increasing threats from North Korea’s missile proliferation, Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) voted to kill several amendments needed to restore critical missile defense funding:

Ellsworth voted against a restoring $1.2 billion cut to the national missile defense system
Ellsworth voted to kill an amendment to restore $120 million to continue Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) fielding in Alaska
Ellsworth voted against restoring $500 million in funding for Long-Range Missile Defense in Europe
By killing these amendments, Brad Ellsworth is endorsing the Democrats’ cuts in funding as part of “the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. missile defense program in a decade”:

“North Korea’s recent nuclear weapon test and missile launches have emboldened critics of President Barack Obama’s plan to cut back on spending for missile defense systems…. Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) has opposed any cuts in the number of ground-based interceptors. Twenty-six of these missiles will be based at Fort Greely, Alaska, under the Obama administration plan, but Begich wants to raise that number to the originally planned 40.” (Bresnahan, “North Korean weapon test and missile launches gives ammunition to opponents,” Politico, June 7, 2009)

BACKGROUND ON AMENDMENTS:

View Ellsworth’s vote against restoring $1.2 billion cut to the national missile defense system here: http://republicans.armedservices.house.gov/gallery/gallerydetail.aspx?GalleryID=71

“Despite arguing that the world is less safe as a result of Iran and North Korea trying to get long-range nuclear weapons which could be used to attack U.S. cities, the House Armed Services Committee voted 36-26 against an amendment to spend an additional $1.2 billion on missile defense programs in 2010….  The chief amendment to restore funding, by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., would have undone a proposed cut in missile defense funding. The $1.2 billion would have been taken from environmental cleanup programs.  Franks said he, and the American public, thinks the missile threat to the U.S. is not declining, and that Obama acknowledged that in his remarks at the White House during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.” (Rick Maze, “Committee votes down missile defense increase,” Army Times, June 16, 2009)

“U.S. ground-based interceptor missiles stand a better-than-90-percent chance of thwarting a ‘rogue nation’ ballistic missile attack on the United States in the next five years, the second highest-ranking military officer told Congress on Tuesday.  Giving the most bullish military assessment to date on the Boeing Co-managed system’s capabilities, Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replied ‘ninety percent plus’ when asked the odds of thwarting a long-range missile that could be fired by North Korea.” (Jim Wolf, “Top general ‘90 percent-plus’ sure on U.S. missile defense,” Reuters, June 16, 2009)

View Ellsworth’s vote to kill an amendment to restore $120 million to continue Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) fielding in Alaska here: http://republicans.armedservices.house.gov/gallery/gallerydetail.aspx?GalleryID=72

“The House Armed Services Committee today rejected Republican efforts to restore funding for 14 ground-based missile interceptors in the FY10 defense authorization bill, instead approving nonbinding substitute language that reaffirmed congressional support for protecting the United States against limited ballistic missile attacks….

“The amendment, sponsored by Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee ranking member Michael Turner, R-Ohio, would have authorized $120 million to continue construction, equipment installations and integration of a missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska. Offsets included $80 million authorized in the bill to help pay for the dismantling of North Korea’s missile system. Republicans said that money would never be used.” (Megan Scully, “Panel Rebuffs Republicans On Missile Defense,” CongressDailyPM, June 16, 2009)

View Ellsworth’s vote against restoring $500 million in funding for Long-Range Missile Defense in Europe: http://republicans.armedservices.house.gov/gallery/gallerydetail.aspx?GalleryID=73

“Iran tested its longest-range missile to date last month, and North Korea in April took another step toward an intercontinental ballistic missile on the same day President Obama gave a speech in the Czech Republic touting U.S willingness to protect Europe and the United States from rogue missiles….  The European interceptors would provide an added layer of protection to the U.S. from potential Iranian missiles….  A recent Congressional Budget Office report found, ‘None of the alternatives considered by CBO provide as much additional defense of the United States.’  Pentagon officials say if North Korea proceeds to develop its long-range missile capacity, they’ll adjust the following year’s budget requests, leaving many on Capitol Hill asking, why cut it in the first place.” (Jennifer Griffin, “Lawmakers Question Obama’s Missile Defense Cuts,” FOXNews.com, June 16, 2009)