Strategic Forces Subcommittee Hearing on the INF Treaty

Washington, DC - Today the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces met for a hearing on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. President Trump recently announced that the United States will withdraw from the INF due in high part to continuing Russian violations of the treaty as well as the growth of new nuclear powers not in the treaty.

Congressman Lamborn, ranking member on the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, issued the following statement:

"Earlier this year the United States announced its suspension and withdrawal from the INF. The Russians have been in clear violation of the INF well before 2013 when the Obama Administration publicly acknowledged they were testing a new cruise missile. The Obama Administration's policies led to a less safe world, emboldening our near peer competitors such as Russia and China and incentivizing rogue states like Iran and North Korea to pursue nuclear capabilities.

"I'm thankful our country has a president who takes our national security seriously and understands the danger posed by unenforced or one-sided arms control treaties. The United States has remained in full compliance with its obligations in the treaty long enough: we should no longer remain bound by the terms of a treaty ignored by Russia and unsigned by China. Withdrawing from the INF will lead to increased American readiness on a global scale. We cannot remain a patsy in an era of great power competition-withdrawing from the now-defunct INF is an appropriate move."