WASHINGTON - After Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel expressed support for resources to modernize the nation’s nuclear arsenal, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, called on the Obama administration to include necessary funding in the 2015 budget request to maintain their commitment to full modernization. In the 2010 Senate debate over the New START Treaty with Russia, the president agreed to provide the full and necessary funding to upgrade and modernize the United States’ aging nuclear arsenal.
“As Secretary Hagel emphasized the importance of appropriate resources to modernize our nation’s nuclear arsenal, I urge the Obama administration to match this level of commitment with the funding necessary in the 2015 budget request so modernization remains on track. To date their track record has been inconsistent,” said Corker. “I recognize the need to address the nation’s spending problems, but I believe we can meet this challenge while also ensuring a safe and reliable nuclear deterrent, which is vital for U.S. and global security.”
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