Representing You
This past week, I traveled to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the annual Reagan National Defense Forum — one of the most important gatherings of national security leaders each year. The event brings together Members of Congress, military commanders, defense experts, and technology innovators to take a hard look at the threats facing our country and how we can keep Americans safe.
While these conversations may take place more than 1,000 miles from Nebraska, the issues we discuss directly affect families here at home. Our state has a proud tradition of military service, and Offutt Air Force Base remains home to U.S. Strategic Command and the 55th Wing. When we talk about defending the homeland, Nebraskans are on the front lines of that mission.
At the forum, I spoke on a panel focused on one of the most urgent challenges we face: strengthening America’s space and missile defense systems. China and Russia are developing weapons capable of reaching the United States, and their arsenals grow more advanced each year. The days when the homeland was safely out of reach are long behind us.
The Reagan Institute recently released new polling that shows the majority of Americans understand this reality. Sixty-eight percent of people surveyed said they support major new investments in the Golden Dome project, a next-generation missile defense system designed to protect the entire U.S. homeland from long-range threats. Only 26 percent opposed.
Golden Dome is a major step forward. The goal is simple: if something is headed toward the United States, we should be able to detect it, track it, and stop it. But building that capability requires more than interceptors. We also need better radar, better sensors, and systems that communicate seamlessly. You can’t defend against what you can’t see.
Last year, Congress began laying the foundation for this effort by passing provisions from my bipartisan Restoring American Deterrence Act. That law requires the U.S. Department of Defense to identify what a true national missile defense system would look like, specifically what it would cost, how long it would take, and what kind of workforce it would require. What we’ve needed most, frankly, is a sense of urgency. The Golden Dome project finally puts that urgency front and center.
Missile defense will never replace our nuclear deterrent. Our nuclear triad remains the cornerstone of our national defense. But missile defense strengthens deterrence by giving America more options. We saw this earlier this year when Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. Because Israel and the United States intercepted nearly all of them, their leaders had the time and space to consider how to respond. Defense doesn’t just save lives; it prevents a crisis from spiraling out of control.
With Golden Dome, our goal is to give America that same advantage. I want the Pentagon to deliver meaningful progress within the next three years, and Congress is prepared to provide the resources and oversight needed to make that happen.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.
Deb Fischer represents Nebraska in the United States Senate. Read her column in the Nance County Journal.