[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24362]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       MISSILE DEFENSE DECISIONS

  (Mr. GRIFFITH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the American 
people about the current situation in the Middle East. On September 28, 
Iran launched and tested a Shahab-3 missile which has a range of 1,200 
kilometers and puts American soldiers and our allies in the Middle East 
in danger. These tests must be met with stern opposition.
  Having recently returned from Israel and Egypt, I had the opportunity 
to meet with officials and members of the defense community who are 
directly involved in their missile defense decisions. I was able to see 
firsthand the stability and security that American missile systems 
provide for our allies. Recently, the administration announced a change 
of plans, eliminating missile silos in Poland and radar in the Czech 
Republic, which raised concerns both in our missile defense community 
and among our international allies. Clearly this logic must be 
questioned as a successful launch of the long-range Shahab-3 missile 
shows that we must protect our allies in the region and, most 
importantly, the eastern United States.
  These Iranian tests demonstrate a need for ground-based interceptors, 
if not on Poland, then on the eastern coast of the United States. 
American safety and security is essential to our soldiers abroad and 
citizens at home. Because national defense is a nonpartisan issue, we 
in Congress will work together to make sure our decisions are well 
thought out and executed.

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