WASHINGTON, DC  – On Wednesday, June 16, the House Armed Services Committee marked-up H.R.2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY10, which included $9.3 billion for the nation’s missile defense systems. The bill provides our warfighters the resources necessary to meet the most pressing ballistic missile threats to the United States, our deployed forces, and our friends and allies.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Andrews helped increase funding for more promising missile defenses, such as Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (Aegis BMD) and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). In the mark-up, Representative Andrews commented that “for years, the Bush administration ignored combatant commanders when they said they lacked sufficient numbers of theater missile defense systems. In H.R.2647, we have made their recommendations a top priority. As commanders on the ground, they see firsthand what threats we face, and their advice must be taken into consideration when crafting a missile defense strategy.  By bringing them into the process, we now have a threat-based approach to missile defense, as compared to the capabilities-based approach of the Bush Administration.”