[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 110 (Friday, September 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S9248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MISSILE DEFENSE

  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the recent 
successes of the Missile Defense Agency. Last Friday, a week ago from 
today, the Missile Defense Agency conducted a test of the ground-based 
midcourse system and scored an intercept. This exercise was designed to 
evaluate the performance of several elements of the ballistic missile 
defense system, and it appears that all elements worked remarkably 
well. Although it was not a primary objective for the data collection 
flight test, an intercept of the target warhead was achieved.
  The test marked the first time an operational interceptor was 
launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base while the target flew from 
Alaska. It was conducted by crews who were manning operational fire 
control systems in Colorado Springs. It also marked the first use of 
the early warning radar at Beale Air Force Base in California.
  I congratulate the head of the Missile Defense Agency, General 
Obering, and especially all the dedicated men and women of the MDA who 
helped make this test a success.
  General Obering stated that the test is about as close as we can come 
to an end-to-end test of our long-range missile defense system. This 
success only builds upon a long record of missile defense intercepts 
and, more importantly, it is the fourth intercept in the last 90 days 
that used hit-to-kill technology.
  In June, we launched a sea-based AEGIS interceptor that was 
successful in intercepting a separating warhead. In July, we launched a 
land-based terminal-phase interceptor, Terminal High Altitude Air 
Defense--or the THAAD--interceptor, successfully intercepting the 
target. Very recently, we had a successful Patriot-3 intercept that was 
conducted by the U.S. Army in collaboration with the Missile Defense 
Agency.
  There have been many naysayers and doubters on missile defense, but I 
am proud to have supported the Missile Defense Agency over the past 
several years as it has grappled in an intensive effort to track down 
and eliminate or minimize risks that have contributed to setbacks in 
the past. There is an emphasis on quality that is paying off, as 
witnessed by our most recent tests. We learn from our mistakes, and we 
now see the fruit of the combined efforts of a wide range of dedicated 
military, civilian, and contractor personnel.
  Testing will continue. We will encounter difficulties, but the 
program will move forward. We are succeeding in building an integrated 
and layered ballistic missile defense system. Our defenses will 
continue to improve, and our citizens will be increasingly protected 
and grateful.
  While I am pleased that we have a limited missile defense capability, 
I believe our missile defense system needs to be challenged even 
further. We need more testing so that we can better understand the task 
at hand and discover the errors that must be corrected. I am confident 
that the Missile Defense Agency is on the right path. I look forward to 
supporting the Agency testing plan in the future. I do not expect 
perfection. In fact, I expect some failures. But in the context of 
several missile defense intercept tests per year, one or two failures 
only means that we are pushing to find out the real capabilities of the 
system.
  We all know hit-to-kill technology works. We now need to further 
develop the midcourse system and introduce greater capability to that 
system. I look forward to assisting the Missile Defense Agency in its 
future programs so our Nation can rest assured that we are protected 
from rogue nations that wish to do us harm.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed 
in the Record a letter addressed to me dated September 8, 2006.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                      U.S. Senate,


                             Select Committee on Intelligence,

                                Washington, DC, September 8, 2006.
     Hon. Ted Stevens,
     President Pro Tempore, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the Select Conmnttee on 
     Intelligence, we submit the following unclassified reports, 
     together with additional and minority views, for filing with 
     the Senate: (1) Postwar Findings about Iraq's WMD Programs 
     and Links to Terrorism, and How they Compare with Prewar 
     Assessments and (2) The Use by the Intelligence Community of 
     Information Provided by the Iraqi National Congress.
       Senate Resolution 400 of the 94th Congress (1976) charges 
     the Committee with the duty to oversee and make continuing 
     studies of the intelligence activities and programs of the 
     United States Government, and to report to the Senate 
     concerning those activities and programs. Pursuant to its 
     responsibilities under Senate Resolution 400, the Committee 
     has undertaken an in-depth examination of the matters 
     described in the reports.
       Both reports have been approved by the Committee in both 
     classified and unclassified form. The classified reports are 
     available to Members for reading at the Committee. The 
     classified reports will also be provided to appropriately 
     cleared officials of the Executive branch.
       The unclassified versions of the reports, which are hereby 
     transmitted for printing, are intended to provide the Senate, 
     and through it, the American public, a substantial factual 
     record upon which to consider the issues covered by the 
     reports.
           Sincerely,
     Pat Roberts,
       Chairman.
     John D. Rockefeller IV,
       Vice Chairman.

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