Cooper Statement on the Passage of Defense Bill

Statement

Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) released the following statement after the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act:

"Last night, the House passed a National Defense Authorization Act for the 62nd year in a row. This bill strengthens our national security at a time when our country is facing new and evolving threats in almost every theater. No NDAA is perfect. But this bill goes a long way towards protecting Americans and promoting a safer world. I am proud to support it."

Regarding the subcommittee he chairs, Rep. Jim Cooper said:

"The Strategic Forces subcommittee has in its jurisdiction some of the most technical, complex, and consequential issues involved in national security, and its portion of the bill reflects this reality. At the top of that list are nuclear weapons. It is essential that American nuclear forces and their command-and-control infrastructure remains safe, secure, and reliable. This bill makes certain that the Departments of Defense and Energy are well-positioned for the immense task of sustaining our legacy forces, while also recapitalizing the nuclear enterprise for the next seventy years.

"At the same time, this bill ensures that both Departments are pursuing balanced approaches--emphasizing deterrence, but also nonproliferation and arms control. Our top military and civilian officials must remain focused on the highest priority efforts and realistic in their planned programs. Plutonium pit production is a prime example where greater realism is needed.

"Regarding space, the subcommittee this year focused on the ability of China and Russia to degrade and destroy our national security satellites. This bill presses the Department to publicly release a strategy on how they will defend our on-orbit assets. It also requires the Space Force to continue tactically responsive space efforts, authorizes additional funds to do so, and encourages increased competition within Phase 3 of the National Security Space Launch.

"Lastly, this bill addresses the role that integrated air and missile defense is playing in the war in Ukraine. It includes language requiring a strategy to share early missile warning data with allies and partners, increases funding for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors, and continues development of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor payload."

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