Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) is the new top Republican on the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, which writes the first drafts of policies touching on defense nuclear programs at the Department of Energy, the panel’s GOP leadership said Monday.
Lamborn slid into the leadership role after Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the former strategic forces ranking member, became the new top GOP lawmaker on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“Rep. Lamborn has been a strong leader on the Readiness subcommittee. I know he will continue his hard work in support of our national security needs in his new role as the Ranking Member of the subcommittee on Strategic,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the HASC ranking member, said in a statement.
“It is no secret that China is undergoing a rapid, unprecedented nuclear build-up including testing new hypersonic missiles,” Lamborn said in a statement. “Russia’s nuclear program has undergone significant modernization of all three legs of its triad, including the development of anti-satellite weapons that significantly threaten the space domain. It is vital that our military has the resources and capabilities necessary to keep our country safe, particularly in light of these new and growing threats. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure our Nation is prepared for any attack, whether on land, water, air, or space.”
Lamborn represents Colorado’s 5th district, which includes Schriever Space Force Base, Peterson Space Force Base, and Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and he has previously said missile defense is “one of my highest priorities.”
“While some in Congress are trying to cut funding for missile defense projects, I will continue to support the funding of current missile defense programs and the development of new technology and development. As co-founder of the Missile Defense Caucus, I recognize the importance of a strong missile defense system. Right now, our military has only a limited defense capability in the event of a threat. Self-declared enemies of America already have some missile capability and our eastern seaboard is largely unguarded from ship-launched missiles,” Lamborn wrote on his website.
House Republican leadership appointed Turner as the top GOP member of the Intelligence Committee following Rep. Devin Nunes’ (R-Calif.) resignation from Congress last week to become the CEO of former President Donald Trump’s new media company.
A version of this story first appeared in Weapons Complex Morning Briefing affiliate publication Defense Daily.
