Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Wednesday introduced legislation that would limit funding for the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile, a controversial weapon intended to replace the aging air-launched cruise missile.
Democrats in Congress say the missile, expected to cost roughly $20 billion to $30 billion over 20 years, would increase the risk of nuclear war. “The cruise missile would be more precise and could be launched without warning, putting pressure on other nuclear-armed states to keep their arsenals on high alert,” a Markey press release said.
The new legislation would limit funding for LRSO at 2017 levels until the new Trump administration submits to Congress a Nuclear Posture Review that determines nuclear policy for the upcoming years.
Specifically, the legislation says that the secretary of defense cannot spend over $95.6 million on development of the LRSO; and the secretary of energy cannot spend over $220.3 million on the W80-4 warhead life-extension program until Congress reviews the Nuclear Posture Review currently being developed. The review must address a number of questions regarding the LRSO, including the “anticipated effect of the long-range standoff weapon on strategic stability relative to other nuclear-armed countries,” the bill says.
“If the United States wants other countries to reduce their nuclear arsenals and restrain their nuclear war plans, we must take the lead,” Markey said in a statement. “Instead of wasting billions of dollars on this dangerous new nuclear weapon that will do nothing to keep our nation safe, we should preserve America’s resources and pursue a global ban on nuclear cruise missiles.”
Seven other Democratic senators, along with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), co-sponsored the legislation.
