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House Armed Services Committe
Subcommittee Chairman Tauscher's Opening Statement --May 09, 2007

"It has been a pleasure working with my friend and the ranking member, Mr. Everett, in building this mark. While we do not agree on all issues, his advice and cooperation have been critical to our success. I would also like to thank the other members of the subcommittee and their staffs for their hard work.

"The Strategic Forces Subcommittee mark includes approximately $51 billion dollars in programs, including:

• $9.5 billion for ballistic missile defense programs;
• $9.3 billion for the military space programs; and

• $14.2 billion for Department of Energy Atomic Energy Defense Activities, not including defense nuclear nonproliferation.

"In all, the subcommittee mark is $1.8 billion below the budget request for these programs.

"With the cooperation of the minority, we have incorporated four broad priorities into the mark:

• First, the mark aims to create a public discussion about future requirements for nuclear weapons by establishing a congressionally-appointed, bipartisan commission to re-evaluate the U.S. strategic posture;
• Second, it slows Department of Energy nuclear weapons initiatives including development of a Reliable Replacement Warhead and construction of a new plutonium production facility. These actions will help make room for the re-evaluation of our nuclear posture;

• Third, the mark funds ballistic missile defense systems that will protect the American people, our deployed troops and allies against real threats and redirects funds away from less mature, high-risk missile defense efforts;

• Finally, it boosts funding for space capabilities that deliver near term benefits to the warfighter and improve space situational awareness and survivability. These actions are particularly important in light of the recent Chinese ASAT test.

"In ballistic missile defense programs, the mark reflects our determination to address real, near-term missile threats facing the nation, the warfighter and our allies. It fully funds the Army's missile defense budget request for the Patriot PAC-3 missile, including funding for the Patriot "Pure Fleet" initiative. It fully funds the Ground Based Missile Defense system to protect the United States against a potential threat from North Korea or Iran. The mark also adds funding for Aegis BMD and fully funds THAAD development and deployment.

"It makes reductions to several programs that are less mature or involve higher technical risk, including the Airborne Laser program and funding for the 3rd BMD Site which the Administration has proposed building in Eastern Europe.

"Overall, the mark reduces the Missile Defense Agency budget request of $8.9 billion by $764 million.

"The mark contains legislative provisions relating to missile defense including:

• An independent study to examine the political, technical, operational, force structure, and budgetary aspects of the proposed European missile defense deployment; and
• An independent study to examine the future roles and missions of the Missile Defense Agency;

• A two year extension of the requirement for GAO to annually assess the missile defense program; and

• Assurance that the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation has access to all MDA operational test evaluation information.

"In military space programs, the mark reflects bipartisan concern about whether certain programs can be executed as proposed. It also reflects a determination to address vulnerabilities in space situational awareness and satellite protection that have not been addressed over the past several years. To reflect these priorities, the mark provides increased funding for several programs, including:

• Future procurement of a fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite;
• Future procurement of GPS II-F satellites thirteen through fifteen;

• Future procurement of the fourth Space Based Infrared Satellite System (SBIRS) satellite;

• Modernized GPS user equipment;
• Operationally responsive space capabilities; and
• Space situational awareness (SSA) and space control.

"The mark also makes reductions to programs including:]

• Alternate Infrared Satellite System;
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS) III; and

• High Integrity GPS.

"The mark also restricts DOD from eliminating the space-based Nuclear Detection System from future national security satellite architectures.

"The mark also reduces funding for the Conventional Trident Modification (CTM) program and limits funding to research and development on the system. The committee sees promise in CTM, but is concerned over targeting doctrine and sees a need for additional effort to ensure that a conventional missile launch from a Trident submarine is not misinterpreted as a nuclear attack by other countries.

"For Department of Energy (DOE) national security programs, the mark fully funds the budget request, including $6.5 billion for nuclear weapons activities and $5.4 billion for defense environmental cleanup programs.

"The mark for DOE weapons activities was crafted in light of the proposed commission on U.S. strategic posture. This commission will help frame the debate over the future direction of our nuclear weapons program, and place it in the context of related strategic considerations.

"The mark thus directs DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to "walk before they run" with modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the weapons complex.

"The mark limits use of Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program funds to Phase Two-A design and cost study activities, and reduces funding for the RRW program overall. The mark also eliminates funding for the proposed Consolidated Plutonium Center.

"The mark directs funding increases to strengthen the Stockpile Stewardship Program and the weapons complex, including:

• Infrastructure maintenance and improvements at the Pantex and Y-12 plants;
• National Ignition campaign target design and assembly activities; and

• The Enhanced Surveillance program.

"The mark also directs NNSA to conduct studies including:

• The feasibility of reusing existing plutonium pits in the RRW program; and

• The feasibility of accelerating warhead dismantlements.

"Finally, the mark recommends the amount of the budget request for the U.S. Surplus Fissile Materials Disposition program. The Russian counterpart effort and all other nuclear nonproliferation programs are covered at the full committee level.

"The subcommittee mark was approved by a unanimous bipartisan vote, and I recommend its adoption today."