SENSE OF THE CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO ACCIDENTAL LAUNCH PROTECTION

SEC. 1005. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO ACCIDENTAL LAUNCH PROTECTION (a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings: (1) The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) has made substantial progress in developing technologies to defend the United States from a possible ballistic missile attack, be it deliberate or accidental. (2) Ground-based elements and their associated adjuncts and technologies represent the most mature technologies within the SDI program and should therefore receive priority by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. (3) The United States is a signatory to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. (4) There have been several accidents involving ballistic missiles, including the loss of a submarine of the Soviet Union due to inadvertent missile ignition and the inadvertent landing in China of a test missile of the Soviet Union. (5) The continued proliferation of offensive ballistic missile forces by non-super power countries hostile to the United States and our allies raises the possibility of future nuclear threats. (b) Reaffirmation of Sense of Congress.—Congress hereby re-affirms the sense of Congress expressed in section 224(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (Public Law 100–456; 102 Stat. 1942) stating— (1) that the Secretary of Defense should direct the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization to give priority to development of technologies and systems for a system capable of protecting 103 STAT. 1543the United States from the accidental launch of a strategic ballistic missile against the continental United States; and (2) that such development of an accidental launch protection system should be carried out with an objective of ensuring that such system is in compliance with the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. (c) Submission of Previously Required Report.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress forthwith the report on the status of planning for development of a deployment option for such an accidental launch protection system that was required by section 224(c) of that Act to be submitted not later than March 1, 1989.