Congressman Mike Turner (OH-3), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, released the following statement upon the passage of the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act:

“This year House Republicans have continued to support our men and women in uniform while ensuring the safety and security of this nation. As the Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee I have sought to place an emphasis on a number of issues which are confronting our national security structure including: missile defense, modernization of our nuclear enterprise, and reform of bureaucratic entities such as the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Earlier this year, President Obama lifted the curtain on his ‘secret deal’ with the Russians. We still do not know the terms of this ‘secret deal.’ What does he mean that he will have greater ‘flexibility’ past his ‘last election?’ The White House has never made clear what deals it has been offering to the Russians, despite requests for such information by myself and my colleagues. The bill the House passed today will ensure this nation is protected from the threat of a missile attack. This includes the study of an East Coast missile defense site in order to prepare us for emerging threats across the globe.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate in crafting a final bill which will meet these goals and continue to see that our country remains ready to meet the threats of tomorrow, while providing for our defense today.” 

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