Last week, the House Armed Services Committee took a first step in ensuring that the government provides for the common defense and passed the fiscal year (FY) 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill now has to pass the full House, the Senate, and the President has to sign it.
Managing a relationship with Russia has been a significant focus of lawmakers, which is understandable given Moscow’s aggressive actions in Ukraine and the Administration’s failures in forging a constructive relationship between the two countries. The NDAA would require the Administration to notify Congress should Russia deploy nuclear weapons to the territory of the Ukrainian Republic. The law would also limit the Administration’s ability to conduct unilateral nuclear reductions. Such a restriction is only prudent given Russia’s massive nuclear weapons modernization, which continues while the U.S. lets its nuclear infrastructure atrophy.
The bill prohibits sharing certain missile defense information with the Russian Federation and integrating Moscow’s missile defense into the U.S. and NATO missile defense. Moscow has traditionally opposed the U.S. missile defense program, even though it is not currently designed to address Russia’s ballistic missile threats. U.S. policy should change, and the U.S. should build a layered missile defense system, including space-based interceptors. Such a system would provide comprehensive protection from all types of ballistic missile threats and scales of ballistic missile attacks. By requiring the Missile Defense Agency to take steps that would eventually lead to space-based missile defense deployments, the NDAA would be a first step toward achieving this goal.
Congress also requires notifications and updates with respect to testing, production, deployment, or sale of Russia’s Club-K cruise missile system to other state or non-state actors. Russia’s proliferation of these systems is destabilizing and harmful to U.S. national security interests. The system can be concealed as a shipping container making it very difficult to track its proliferation.
Russia’s violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty are also of interest to lawmakers. The law would require the Administration to notify Congress and allies when Russia violates the INF Treaty and to develop a range of options for potential responses to Russia’s violations, including military options.
The bill as it stands would also limit the availability of funds for fixed-site radiological portal monitors in foreign countries, which is a good step in ensuring that taxpayer money is used efficiently. Fixed radiological portal monitors are all too easy to circumvent should one be serious about smuggling radioactive material.
To provide for the common defense is a primary responsibility of the federal government. A good NDAA should advance policies that keep the nation safe, secure, and prosperous in the years ahead.
