Issue Position: National Security - Nuclear Weapons

Issue Position

The world has changed quite a bit since the end of the Cold War. However, one thing that has not changed is the fact that our security is linked to the strength of our nuclear deterrent.

The reliability, safety, and security of our nuclear weapons has been and will continue to be a cornerstone of our national security for us and our allies. We cannot not afford to cut our nuclear stockpile so low that it causes our allies to call into question our commitment of guaranteeing their safety; nor can we cut it so low that it encourages our adversaries to spend money on nuclear weapons to quickly catch up to our low numbers.

I believe it is vitally important that America maintains the security, safety, and effectiveness of our remaining stockpile. That means that the President must budget and Congress must fully fund investments into modernization of our nuclear weapons complex.

The Pantex plant outside of Amarillo, thought by many to be the flagship of the nuclear weapons complex, is in dire need of sustained funding to address deferred maintenance backlogs, modernize their WWII-era buildings, and invest in safety and security systems for the 21st century. This issue is one on which I will continue working.

* To read my statement on the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, click here
* To visit the official website of Pantex, click here
* To visit the homepage of the National Nuclear Security Administration, click here
* To read the text of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act, click here

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