"America’s ICBM force is a visible reminder that America is prepared to protect itself and its allies from any nation that wishes to harm us," said Enzi, who co-founded and chairs the Senate's bipartisan ICBM Coalition. "This administration’s tendency to arbitrarily and unilaterally reduce our nuclear force only increases threats to our national security."
Enzi has introduced two amendments to protect ICBMs. The first, supported by all members of the coalition, would prohibit the Defense Department from removing ballistic missile silos containing a deployed missile, and requires missiles to be kept at least in a "warm" status.
The second, co-sponsored by fellow Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, both Republicans, calls for any further reductions in the nation's nuclear force to be made through the formal treaty-making process outlined in the Constitution.
The moves come as protests stack up against plans by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to conduct an environmental-impact study on the possible elimination of ICBM silos.
A timeline prepared by Hagel's office would eliminate one unidentified ICBM squadron and destroy its silos by Dec. 5, 2017, reports The Washington Free Beacon, in order to "meet the New START Treaty compliance date."
According to the timeline, the military would start removing the missiles in October, after the proposed environmental assessment is finished. After that, the silo elimination would start in May 2016, taking 19 months to finish, The Beacon reports.
Via: Newsmax
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