Press Releases

Today, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, previews the full committee hearing titled, "Nuclear Deterrence in the 21st Century":

"Our nuclear deterrent is the cornerstone of all of our defense efforts, as well as a foundation of international stability. For too long now we have taken it for granted — neglecting the systems, the infrastructure, and the people involved in making sure those complex machines are safe, reliable and effective. The weapons and the delivery systems are all aging out about the same time and require our serious attention.

Maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent must be a major priority for Congress and the White House. It is far past time for us to have a national conversation about the state of our nuclear weapons, delivery systems, and the infrastructure that supports them.

Developments around the world help emphasize the importance of these issues.

For example, Russia has embarked upon a course of belligerent activities:

• There have been dangerous and aggressive nuclear threats and exercises conducted against U.S., NATO allies, and neighbors;

• Russia has declared and openly discussed new doctrine to use a nuclear weapon early in a conflict to “de-escalate” and get the United States to back down;

• It has brazenly violated the INF treaty, not to mention numerous other arms control obligations;

• And, of course, the invasion, occupation, and annexation of Crimea and steadily more-overt “hybrid warfare” in eastern Ukraine.

This hearing, and the other committee events associated with our nuclear deterrence oversight week, will bring these issues to the forefront and highlight why we must maintain a credible nuclear deterrent.

Last November, then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said: ‘Our nuclear deterrent plays a critical role in assuring U.S. national security, and it is DOD’s highest priority mission. No other capability we have is more important.’ I agree, and the Committee looks forward to hearing how this priority is being translated into policies, programs, and budgets today and in the future.

We also need to hear how events and actions by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and others are being factored into our overall nuclear deterrence strategy.

A confident and secure nuclear power does not rattle its nuclear saber to remind the world of its capabilities—and that is not what this hearing is about. Instead, I view this as a refresher course of sorts for the Administration, Congress, the American people, our allies, and our adversaries to discuss the many threats we face and the importance a safe and reliable nuclear deterrent plays in helping protect our nation and stabilize an increasingly volatile world."