releases: https://web.archive.org/web/20141113190210/http://www.vitter.senate.gov/newsroom/press/sen-vitter-rep-lamborn-warn-administration-not-to-weaken-missile-defense
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://web.archive.org/web/20141113190210/http://www.vitter.senate.gov/newsroom/press/sen-vitter-rep-lamborn-warn-administration-not-to-weaken-missile-defense | Sen. Vitter, Rep. Lamborn Warn Administration Not to Weaken Missile Defense | 2014-11-13 | 2014 | 2014-11 | Republican | House | LA | David Vitter | V000127 | web.archive.org | legacy | Sen. Vitter, Rep. Lamborn Warn Administration Not to Weaken Missile Defense Lawmakers ask State Department for clarification of space arms policy they’ve seemed to develop secretly without informing the Defense Department, Congress Thursday, November 13, 2014 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) urged the U.S. State Department to clarify the Administration’s outer space arms control policy, particularly how it could negatively impact the United States’ missile defense capabilities and anti-satellite weapon purposes. “A major part of our national security and infrastructure revolves around outer space, and our continued ability to use satellites and various missile capabilities,” Vitter said. “We need to make sure we’re not restricting ourselves, especially when China or Russia are pursuing access to weapons that could destroy U.S. satellites – putting us a greater national security risks.” “Any proposal for a space code of conduct or an outer space arms control treaty should only be considered by the United States if it clearly improves our national security and does not limit our own freedom of action in space. I am particularly concerned by the potential that State Department officials may be proposing agreements without any consideration for the national security implications of their proposals,” Lamborn said. The Administration has seemingly embraced the European Union’s approach to outer space arms, which top national security officials have said is too restrictive and could put the U.S. at an unfair national security risk by not protecting the U.S.’s ability to fully develop missile defenses. Vitter and Lamborn’s letter highlights the State Department failure to consult with the defense agencies or relevant key committees. Previously, on Feb. 2, 2011, Vitter along with 37 U.S. Senators warned former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of the European Union’s approach and requested their reasoning for moving towards adopting the more restrictive approach. A copy of Vitter and Lamborn’s letter is below. November 12, 2014 Mr. Frank Rose Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Space and Defense Policy U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rose, We write to ask for your clarification regarding the Administration’s space arms control posture. Like you, we are deeply concerned by the rising threats of anti-satellite weapons in the hands of states like the People’s Republic of China. That said, we believe the Administration would do better to focus on real solutions to these threats, as opposed to more feel good measures like the European Union’s (EU) Code of Conduct for Outer Space activities or other similar measures. We are concerned by proposals for outer space arms control, including the EU Code of Conduct for Outer Space activities, which the Administration has embraced. We see no advantage to such a Code for the United States; according to assessments by the uniformed military, implementation of this code would result in real world operational impacts. The product of this equation demands the opposition of the entire United States government. With the languishing of that Code, we fear a new threat to our ability to protect U.S. outer space capabilities, and, perhaps even to develop our missile defenses. We seek your understanding of the Administration’s position on space arms control, specifically, the “debris-generating kinetic energy ASAT testing moratorium” which, as we have been informed, you proposed to U.S. allies. We are unfamiliar with any such proposal having been coordinated with the Department of Defense or the uniformed military, and therefore we ask for your answers to the following questions: 1) Please indicate the date, and by which Department official, the State Department Circular 175 request was signed. What was the scope of this Circ-175 and has the Department determined if this moratorium would be submitted to the Senate for its advice and consent? 2) If this Circ-175 will not be submitted to the Senate, on what basis would such an international agreement be negotiated and to what end? 3) Please detail the potential implications for United States space and missile defense activities. How would such an agreement protect our ability to fully develop our missile defenses, including our test and targets program? 4) Please further detail how such agreement will ensure full freedom of action for the United States to take needed defensive and other action in space. 5) Please provide the Joint Staff assessment of impacts to military operations you obtained before discussing this moratorium with our allies. 6) Please detail the specific allies with which you have discussed this moratorium and the respective dates of discussion. Please further detail which State Department official authorized these discussions. We appreciate your prompt responses to these questions. Sincerely, CC: SECSTATE SECDEF CJCS ODNI STRATCOM | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |