WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Michael McCaul (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released a statement warning President Biden against weakening U.S. nuclear declaratory policy and urging the Biden Administration to commit to fully funding the current U.S. nuclear modernization plan. The statement comes as Vladimir Putin is overseeing strategic nuclear exercises while Russian forces continue to amass on the Ukrainian border.
“As Russia assembles forces for what would be the largest land war in Europe since WWII, Vladimir Putin is overseeing a massive strategic exercise to demonstrate the Russian Federation’s willingness to fight and win a nuclear exchange with the West. Reportedly, this exercise is using the full range of Russian strategic, tactical, and advanced hypersonic delivery systems to carry out nuclear strikes – many of which would only be useful against Western Europe or the United States.
“The message is clear: Russia will use its modernized and capable nuclear arsenal to shape NATO responses and, if necessary, compel a favorable outcome in a conflict. President Biden, on the other hand, is conducting a review of the United States’ own nuclear posture and considering shedding vital nuclear capabilities and moving away from the nuclear declaratory policy that has deterred the wartime use of nuclear weapons globally for over 70 years. Our NATO allies understand how damaging these moves can be to global stability, and they have been united in opposing such moves.
“It’s clear that the Biden Administration’s approach is completely out of touch with the dangerous reality facing the U.S., NATO, and our allies around the world. Embracing a weakened U.S. nuclear posture will not reduce the risks of nuclear use by Moscow, Beijing, or Pyongyang; it will only serve to undermine allied confidence in U.S. leadership and embolden our adversaries to take even more aggressive actions.
“President Biden believes himself a foreign policy and national security pragmatist. This is one situation where the pragmatic course is clear, and we expect President Biden to commit to fully funding the current U.S. nuclear modernization plan and abandon all consideration of changes to U.S. nuclear declaratory policy. This is no time for weakness – we must project strength if peace and stability are to prevail.”
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