Highlights Mission of 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls
To watch Daines’ remarks, click HERE.
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference highlighting the importance of pushing back on President Joe Biden’s woke agenda and using the “National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA) to strengthen the United States’ national security. Senator Daines is working to include several of his priorities, including banning tax dollars from being used to host drag shows, sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals involved with the spy balloon and an analysis of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) capabilities that would expose any limitations that could be exploited by foreign countries resulting in another Chinese spy balloon situation.
“If you have the chance to go into a member of Congress’ office, you’ll oftentimes see a collection of challenge coins. They are coins given to us by members of the United States military. They represent a particular unit that perhaps a commander has, but they always try to capture the character the essence of what they do. My favorite challenge coin I’ve ever received, and if you came into my office, you’d see a large collection as well, came from the 341st Missile Wing out of Great Falls, Montana, that’s Malmstrom Air Force Base, and the coin, I brought it here today is from the commander. And because you can’t see it from where you’re at, I did try to make a chart so you can see it. And what it says on this coin from the 341st Missile Wing, it says ‘scaring the hell out of America’s enemies since 1962.’
“But on a more serious note that 341st Missile Wing overseas 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles that we have in Montana. Senator Barrasso also has 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles in Wyoming, North Dakota has the remaining third, 150. Those 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles are one of most important sources of strength for the U.S. military because these are truly weapons of mass and massive destruction that keeps our enemies at bay. As Ronald Reagan believed in the doctrine of peace through strength, those ICBMs do that.
“However, under this Administration, under the Biden administration, we’re no longer practicing peace through strength. Whether it’s that Chinese spy balloon when it came over Montana, it lingered right over our missile silos, or whether it’s drag shows now that the Air Force bases are sponsoring and condoning for children, and I’m not making this up. Biden has projected American weakness around the world.
“This is not the military or the foreign policy agenda that Americans want. We must repair our image on the world stage. As we now take up the NDAA in the United States Senate we will have a chance to bolster United States national security to push back on the Biden administration’s weakness and remind the world that the United States military remains the best and the most fierce fighting force in the world.
“I introduced amendments that would sanction Chinese companies and individuals involved with the spy balloon incident. By the way, as The Wall Street Journal broke the story at the end of June, we have found out that the spy balloon had U.S. technology made by U.S. companies as part of their configuration. China and the rest of the world must know the United States takes their brazen espionage act very seriously. It’s time that President Biden in the Senate Democrats stop embarrassing the United States on the world stage.”
Daines announced he will be introducing several amendments to the NDAA last week.
Last week, Daines introduced a bill which would ensure the U.S. Department of Treasury works with the Department of Commerce to identify various institutions as restricted trade partners if they are associated with either the Chinese military or intelligence services, or if they helped facilitate aerial operations to spy on the United States.
Daines sent a letter to the Biden administration highlighting concerns with the recent reports that China used American technology to spy on the United States and demanded an investigation into the situation in order to prevent future violations of U.S. national security interests.
Daines has been the leading voice in Congress working to hold the Biden administration accountable for the Chinese spy balloon fiasco since it was first spotted over Montana in February. See his efforts HERE.