The world is more dangerous today than it’s been since the height of the Cold War. The terrorist group Hamas, backed by Iran, attacked Israel in October. Russia continues its war against Ukraine, threatening order and stability in Europe. And as China hungrily eyes Taiwan, the Communist nation has far outpaced the United States in production of important military assets, including nuclear weapons and naval ships.
That’s why this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is so important. On the Senate Armed Services Committee, I’ve worked to ensure that the United States military is prepared to face any threat it may encounter — especially when it comes to our nuclear forces and Nebraska’s role in our national defense.
I serve as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, which oversees U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), headquartered in Nebraska. The funding we’ve authorized in this bill will support the modernization of STRATCOM’s Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) architecture. A safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent is the backbone of our national security strategy.
The defense bill also supports Offutt Air Force Base, which hosts STRATCOM and the 55th Wing as well as the 557th Weather Wing and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The bill authorizes millions of dollars for projects at Offutt. It also authorizes funds for Nebraska National Guard projects across the state and includes many provisions for the replacement of our nuclear missile silos in the Nebraska panhandle.
This bill addresses our country’s large-scale national security concerns as well. The United States has fallen behind on its nuclear capabilities. A few days after the attacks on Israel, a bipartisan, bicameral congressional commission released its report on our nation’s strategic posture. The report concluded that we are woefully underprepared to face growing threats from Russia and China. We must urgently adapt our military, workforce, and nuclear enterprise so we can effectively deter our adversaries.
The NDAA will help us catch up. Notably, my legislation will secure the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) program. SLCM fills a critical gap by ensuring that we have the smaller nuclear weapons necessary to deter our adversaries, who we know already possess this capability. The United States cannot give up on important capabilities, especially as China’s navy expands in the Pacific and South China Sea.
But it’s not just physical weapons we should be concerned about — Chinese propaganda is also a serious problem. I included a provision in this bill that prevents our Department of Defense from participating in entertainment projects linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Taxpayer dollars should never enable China’s disinformation war.
The defense bill also includes my provisions increasing cooperation between our armed forces and our international partners. For example, the NDAA makes it easier for the U.S. and Israel to share key technology, particularly missile defense programs.
The NDAA’s impact will stretch from Nebraska to our nation as a whole to countries around the globe. We will always have more work to do as America’s adversaries continue to modernize and grow their militaries, threatening us and our allies and partners. But this year’s bill shows the world — and more importantly, our enemies — that the United States will not back down.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.