(LibertySociety.com) – President Donald Trump has made significant inroads with North Korea during his time in office. In 2019, he became the first sitting president to step into the hostile country. He met with Kim Jong-un, and the two discussed a nuclear agreement.
Although the president has made significant progress in establishing a solid US-North Korea relationship, the country is still a threat. Another issue facing America is Iran. The country is becoming more radical. It’s trying to re-establish its nuclear program and eventually obtain weapons.
The threats facing America have spurred Congress into action.
Defense Spending Bill
According to a December 3 report by Defense News, Congress directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to build a temporary intercontinental ballistic missile defense interceptor. After the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act is signed, lawmakers are giving the Pentagon 30 days to start developing “an interim ground-based interceptor capability.”
The defense act gives the Pentagon specific instructions on how to create the program. It directs the department to use the existing Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) program’s booster technology and should protect the American homeland from threats coming from “rogue nations.”
Lawmakers Upset
According to reports, Congress was upset about a decision to cancel an upgrade of the RKV program that was supposed to improve the interceptors at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and Fort Greely, Alaska. The Pentagon decided to develop an entirely new system that would not be ready until 2028 at the earliest.
Congress doesn’t have a problem with an upgraded system but wants to ensure the country’s protected in the meantime. It’s more important than ever that the military has the systems it needs in place to stop a missile launched from hostile nations.
Although Democrats in Congress will never admit it, it’s especially critical if President Donald Trump leaves office in January. Who knows what Joe Biden will do to the relationships 45 has established during his tenure.
Copyright 2020, LibertySociety.com
