[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 82 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 82

 Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the proposal for the Strategic 
                          Defense Initiative.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 20, 2013

 Mr. Begich (for himself, Mr. Sessions, and Ms. Ayotte) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the proposal for the Strategic 
                          Defense Initiative.

Whereas on March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan delivered a televised address 
        to the Nation on the nuclear and ballistic missile threat to the United 
        States and appealed to the people of the United States to support the 
        development of new technologies to counter this threat;
Whereas March 23, 2013, marks the 30th anniversary of this landmark address;
Whereas President Reagan believed that United States security is based on being 
        prepared and willing to meet all threats;
Whereas President Reagan envisioned a defensive, non-nuclear capability to 
        intercept and destroy strategic nuclear missiles before they reached the 
        United States and our allies;
Whereas President Reagan envisioned these defenses to significantly reduce any 
        incentive an adversary may have to threaten or attack the United States 
        and our allies;
Whereas the proposal for these defenses, together with the defenses themselves, 
        have come to be known as the ``Strategic Defense Initiative'';
Whereas President Reagan's vision has been inspired through the efforts of 
        dedicated Americans and allies who have championed the pursuit of 
        deterrence and protection to overcome immense technical hurdles in 
        developing ballistic missile defense technologies and systems to protect 
        the United States, our allies, and our vital interests overseas;
Whereas on January 15, 1991, soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery 
        brigade changed modern warfare forever when they successfully 
        intercepted an Al Hussein Missile launched from Iraq towards Dhahran, 
        Saudi Arabia;
Whereas missile defense was used in combat and was successful during Operation 
        Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom in defending the United States 
        Armed Forces and the forces of our allies;
Whereas the United States has achieved 58 successful missile defense intercept 
        tests since 2001;
Whereas the capability of United States missile defenses were first successfully 
        put on alert in response to a July 2006 missile launch by North Korea, 
        and later put on alert for all subsequent missile launches by North 
        Korea (including its last launch in December 2013), and was successfully 
        demonstrated on February 21, 2008, when a Standard Missile-3 interceptor 
        launched from the U.S.S. Lake Erie intercepted and destroyed a disabled 
        satellite of the National Reconnaissance Office;
Whereas ballistic missile defense technology continues to be developed, tested, 
        and operationally deployed by the United States, 21 allies and friends 
        of the United States, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
Whereas the Missile Defense Agency and the United States Armed Forces stand ever 
        vigilant to deter aggression and preserve the peace;
Whereas the Missile Defense Agency epicenter for test, integration, and fielding 
        United States rocket technology, located in Huntsville, Alabama, is 
        responsible for guiding the programs essential to the overall success of 
        the Missile Defense Agency mission;
Whereas the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System is intended to lead 
        any potential adversary to conclude that the risks of attacking the 
        United States or our allies, or our troops in theater, far outweigh 
        potential gains;
Whereas the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System functions as a key, proven 
        component of the integrated United States Ballistic Missile Defense 
        System and as the foundation of sea-based ballistic missile defense for 
        the United States, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization;
Whereas the United States Army Air Defense Artillery Missile Defense Systems 
        function as a key, proven component of the integrated United States 
        Ballistic Missile Defense System and as the foundation of land-based 
        ballistic missile defense for Bahrain, Germany, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, 
        the Netherlands, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, 
        Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization;
Whereas the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System and the United States Army 
        Air Defense Artillery Missile Defense Systems effectively serve to deter 
        aggression and devalue the missiles of those who would threaten the 
        peace and security of the United States and our allies;
Whereas the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System and its effective interceptor 
        missiles currently deployed at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air 
        Force Base, California, together with the Missile Defense Integration 
        and Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, function as key 
        components of the integrated United States Ballistic Missile Defense 
        System;
Whereas the Ballistic Missile Defense Review of 2010 concluded the Ground-Based 
        Midcourse Defense System is the only system currently capable of 
        protecting the United States from an intercontinental ballistic missile;
Whereas the dedicated members of the Alaska National Guard in the 49th Missile 
        Battalion at Fort Greely, Alaska, stand ready on a daily basis to defend 
        and protect the Nation; and
Whereas the integrated ballistic missile defense system is a key element of the 
        national defense of the United States and a vital capability to deter 
        aggression and preserve freedom and peace: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the vision and efforts of President Ronald 
        Reagan to promote peace and security;
            (2) recognizes and expresses support for the refusal of the 
        people of the United States to accept United States 
        vulnerability to a ballistic missile attack on the homeland or 
        overseas; and
            (3) commemorates the 30th anniversary of the address of 
        President Reagan to the Nation on national security and the 
        Strategic Defense Initiative.
                                 <all>