WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today outlined her national defense priorities to keep American families safe in the face of rising threats across the globe, including by strengthening investments in the strategic nuclear deterrent and modernizing Minot Air Force Base’s B-52 long-range strike bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).  

Heitkamp was the featured speaker at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies of the Air Force Association’s nuclear deterrence breakfast series this morning. She specifically laid out her national defense priorities to support a tough, smart national security strategy that will keep American families strong and safe by:

• Promoting North Dakota’s role in critical national security missions through its work at Minot and Grand Forks Air Force Bases and the North Dakota National Guard.

• Modernizing the United States’ nuclear deterrent and sustaining a bipartisan consensus in Congress on its importance to secure U.S. interests and advance the cause of peace.

• Reaffirming a strong commitment to our allies to support diplomacy and hold China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea accountable.

Click here to watch Heitkamp’s full national security remarks.  

“With many threats to U.S. national security across the globe, it’s more important than ever that our country is doing everything possible to keep American families safe and to support our servicemembers. That means maintaining nuclear and conventional forces that prevent our adversaries from taking disastrous military action— and our brave servicemembers in Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo, and Cavalier play a vital role in that effort,” said Heitkamp. “A smart, tough national security strategy, as I laid out this morning, will support North Dakota’s missions, work with our allies, hold threatening countries accountable, and effectively maintain peace. But above all – the goal should be to keep American families safe. And that’s will always be my number one national security priority.”

At the breakfast, Heitkamp talked about the role North Dakota can play in bolstering the U.S. nuclear deterrent, as well as how the U.S. Senate can work in a bipartisan manner to promote national defense strategies that continue to protect American families and communities. Now in its 35^th year, the Air Force’s Association Mitchell Institute’s Congressional Breakfast Series is designed to provide experts and policy officials with a complete and non-partisan assessment of the ongoing nuclear deterrent and missile defense landscape of the United States and its allies.

Specifically, Heitkamp’s national defense priorities aim to:

• Promote North Dakota’s role in critical national security missions. Minot Air Force Base hosts both B-52s and ICBMs — the only location to host two vital components of the U.S. nuclear triad— and Heitkamp is working with Air Force and community leaders to boost continued national support for the base’s mission. Heitkamp has also pushed for the Grand Forks Air Force Base and its RQ-4 Global Hawk mission as a key enabler in strengthening U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and she is working to promote the efforts of the 119^th Air National Guard Wing in Fargo and its counterterrorism missions.

• Modernize the nuclear deterrent and sustaining a bipartisan consensus on its importance. For over 40 years, the B-52 has served as the backbone of the U.S. strategic bomber force. Heitkamp continues to push for installing new engines on the B-52s at Minot, and earlier this year she brought together a bipartisan group of senators to make sure the administration’s budget included funding for engine upgrades. In her speech, Heitkamp highlighted the fact that Congress has never missed a defense policy bill reauthorization, and she pointed to this bipartisan success as a template for backing current bomber and ICBM modernization programs that have spanned administrations and are needed to support the men and women who serve in the Air Force in North Dakota and across the country.

• Reaffirm a strong commitment to our allies. Amid China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea threatening global stability and peace, Heitkamp has stressed the need for the United States to stand ready to provide its full range of military, diplomatic, and economic capabilities in the defense of our allies abroad, particularly in the Pacific and Europe. Heitkamp has toured U.S. assets in the Asia-Pacific region and has worked to reassure our Pacific allies that our nation is committed to coming to their aid in the face of any North Korean or Chinese aggression.

Background

Heitkamp has long pushed to strengthen and modernize the U.S. nuclear deterrent. In January, Heitkamp led a bipartisan group of senators in calling for new or upgraded engines on the Air Force’s B-52s while the next generation of bomber is being developed. Modernizing the engines on the B-52 long-range strike bomber would substantially extend aircraft lifespan, reduce the cost to maintain older engines, increase fuel efficiency and flying time, and reduce the bomber’s carbon footprint. Following Heitkamp’s push, the Air Force announced that Minot Air Force Base will continue to host bomber missions and that the president’s budget included $280 million for B-52 bomber modernization, more than double the current level of funding.

Heitkamp has also continued to champion Minot Air Force Base’s role in underpinning U.S. nuclear deterrence. She helped pass the defense authorization bill signed into law in 2017, which included support for modernizing the nation’s B-52s and ICBMs. And In September 2017, Heitkamp welcomed Defense Secretary James Mattis to Minot to support the servicemembers at the base and reassert the administration’s commitment to a modernized nuclear arsenal. Earlier that month, Heitkamp welcomed Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to Minot to stress the maintenance and modernization of Minot’s nuclear arsenal after Heitkamp secured a commitment from her to visit the state.

Additionally, Heitkamp has consistently pushed for the mutual defense of U.S. allies as an aspect of national defense strategy. In December 2017, Heitkamp crafted and passed a provision in the defense authorization bill to reassure America’s allies in its steadfast commitment to protecting against the North Korea nuclear threat. As North Korea continues to threaten regional stability, Heitkamp’s amendment makes clear that the United States stands ready to provide its full range of capabilities in the defense of our allies.

Heitkamp has worked to expand the role of Grand Forks’ Global Hawk mission. Heitkamp pushed to secure funding and long-term support for the RQ-4 Global Hawks in the defense authorization bill passed in December 2017. In September 2017, Heitkamp met with Colonel Benjamin W. Spencer, Commander of the 319^th Air Base Wing at Grand Forks, to discuss efforts to strengthen the base’s role in protecting the United States’ national security, including pioneering new uses for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology. Heitkamp also welcomed General Lori J. Robinson, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) as she made a rare visit to see the base’s remotely piloted aircraft innovation up close.

Heitkamp is a co-founder of the Senate Defense Communities Caucus and is a member of the Senate Long Range Strike Caucus and the Senate ICBM Coalition.

Heitkamp has continued to push for a Nuclear Posture Review that emphasizes the U.S. commitment to the nuclear triad and its fundamental role in national security. In February, the U.S. Department of Defense released its 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, which reflected all of the key recommendations in a report Heitkamp and the other members of the Senate ICBM Coalition released in December 2016. 

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