Guest Blogger: Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) on Shooting Down Missile Defense

Todd Akin / July 15, 2009

As we celebrated our nation’s birthday, North Korea launched seven missiles, and is now preparing to launch a long-range ballistic missile, just months after testing a nuclear weapon. At the same time, Iran is developing both nuclear capabilities and long range missiles, recently disguised as a “space” launch. Meanwhile in Washington, Democrats in the White House and in Congress are dramatically cutting funds from our national missile defense system. In what world does it make sense to dramatically cut funding for the only system capable of defending our nation against the threat of rogue nations with nuclear ballistic missiles?

President Obama, in his FY2010 defense budget, proposed a $1.2 billion cut to missile defense funding and halted development on our long-range interceptors in Alaska and California. When Republicans on the Armed Services Committee, led by Reps. Michael Turner and Trent Franks, tried to restore funding to missile defense, the Democrat majority voted it down along party lines. Here is a quick rundown of the amendments offered in committee during the course of our five hour debate on missile defense recently. (more…)