Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment that restricts citizens of any country on the list of sensitive countries from entering any U.S. national security laboratory facility.

From Los Alamos to Oak Ridge, our national labs perform critical national security activities that are the bedrock of our defense. They oversee the stewardship of our national stockpile which maintains our safe, secure, credible, and effective nuclear deterrent force.

Unlike our adversaries, the United States has upheld the zero-yield testing standard set in place by the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We have done this by choosing to make a massive investment in our national labs to develop a more responsible nuclear testing regime that does not require super-critical explosions.

I was stunned to hear recent reports, though, of Biden administration officials inviting citizens from our two greatest adversaries to observe U.S. nuclear weapons tests. Russia and China should not have insider access to our testing. This is the latest in a series of misguided and naive national security actions made by Biden administration officials. These are the same officials who have sworn oaths to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution and who are appointed as caretakers for our Nation's most sensitive national security activities.

Proponents of this policy argue that inviting foreign observers to view our tests would encourage our adversaries to be more transparent about their activities. However, China and Russia have had ample opportunity to be more open about their nuclear weapons development and deployments and refuse to do so.

Allowing adversaries to observe our nuclear testing activities is allowing them to derive our methods and procedures, and this destroys deterrence. As chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, one of my priorities has been to strengthen and protect our nuclear arsenal.

In the world today, nothing could jeopardize our national security more than losing this advantage. For that reason, I encourage my colleagues to adopt this amendment and protect our nuclear assets.

Madam Chair, I close by saying that I ask that we adopt this amendment by acclimation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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