May 18, 2007— Today the House of Representatives passed the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) offered an amendment to fully restore the $764 million that was slashed from ballistic missile defense budget. It failed by a vote of 199 to 226.  Thirteen Democrats joined with Republicans in support of the Congressman Franks’s amendment.  Republicans also offered an amendment, the motion to recommit, to extend ballistic missile defense to Israel. This was similar to an amendment offered by Congressman Franks and Congressman Cantor (R-VA) before the Rules Committee, which was not allowed to be considered during debate of the bill on the House Floor.

Congressman Franks stated, “Today the Democrats demonstrated to the American people where they stand on providing Americans with a robust and layered missile defense by voting against my amendment which would have restored the critical funding they cut.”

Congressman Franks also voted in support of the Republican Motion to Recommit which extended America's ballistic missile system to Israel.

Franks commented, “I believe with all my heart that Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, should receive our unequivocal support and a strong missile defense system.  However, by voting against my earlier amendment, Democrats chose NOT to provide similar defense capability to the United States to protect against nuclear missile attacks on the U.S. homeland or American soldiers in theater.  I am astounded that protecting 300,000,000 Americans against the most dangerous weapons in human history has become a partisan issue.”

Congressman Lee Terry (NE-02) also sponsored an amendment en bloc that provided funding for research, development, testing, and evaluation to be available for the program element of the X Lab battlespace laboratory.  “The slashing of missile defense for the Democrats’ preferred pet projects places American families— particularly West Coast families— in danger,” Congressman Terry said.