[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TIME TO BUILD NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, it is a shame that it has taken nuclear 
blasts in India and Pakistan to convince American leaders that it is 
time to put an end to our policy of mutually assured vulnerability.
  What I mean by this is that the United States is vulnerable to a 
missile attack. Many Americans are unaware of this. But if a missile 
were to be fired at American cities, the United States would be 
defenseless against it. Not only that, but this is the deliberate 
policy of the United States, to remain defenseless in the face of 
nuclear attack.
  But recent events in Pakistan and India should serve to force us to 
reconsider our policy of vulnerability in face of a missile attack. 
Recent reports that Communist China has 13 nuclear missiles aimed at 
the United States should reinforce the need for this reassessment. It 
is time to begin to build a national missile defense system. The 
security of our Nation is at stake.

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