IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 581 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President 

should take all necessary steps to expeditiously deploy a missile defense 

system in Europe that will help provide such a defense to United States 

allies in Europe while enhancing United States defenses against missile 

attacks. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 25, 2009 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 

MCKEON, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. TURNER, 

Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado, Mr. BROUN

of Georgia, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. HARPER, Mr. BOOZMAN, 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. POE of 

Texas, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. AKIN, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, 

Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. PENCE, and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the President should take all necessary steps to expeditiously deploy a missile defense system in Europe that 

will help provide such a defense to United States allies 

in Europe while enhancing United States defenses 

against missile attacks. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 581 IH 

Whereas a potential attack employing a nuclear, biological, or 

chemical weapon delivered by a ballistic missile constitutes one of the most serious threats to United States 

national security and to the security of our friends and 

allies; 

Whereas the Iranian regime currently possesses short-range 

ballistic missiles (SRBM), as well as medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM), capable of reaching much of the 

Middle East region, including Israel, and reaching Turkey; 

Whereas reports indicate that Iran is developing a more sophisticated and longer range version of the MRBM 

known as the Shahab-3, with such a new version potentially capable of reaching Europe; 

Whereas intelligence estimates reportedly indicate that the 

Iranian regime may soon be able to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the 

United States, as well as all of Europe; 

Whereas deploying United States ground-based missile defense components in Europe will improve our ability to 

defend the United States from missile attacks, as well as 

extend such defensive coverage to our allies in Europe; 

Whereas deploying United States ground-based missile defense assets in Europe would serve as a deterrent to missile attacks by rogue regimes against both the United 

States and Europe and may serve as a disincentive for 

them to invest in the very development of such missile capabilities, thereby enhancing United States nonproliferation objectives; 

Whereas the United States has made numerous efforts to enhance cooperation with Russia on the issue of missile deVerDate Nov 24 2008 17:00 Jun 27, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR581.IH HR581

jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 581 IH 

fense in Europe and has held numerous briefings and discussions with Russian officials on the issue in order to 

ensure the transparency of Unites States objectives; 

Whereas the United States has reached out to and worked 

with key allies in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe to 

promote a cooperative missile defense against potential 

attacks by rogue regimes; 

Whereas the United States continues to cooperate with its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 

toward the establishment of a common missile defense 

system, with the United States focusing on the deployment of missile defense capabilities to counter long-range 

missiles and NATO focusing on countering threats from 

short-range and medium-range missiles; 

Whereas in April 2008, at the NATO Summit in Bucharest, 

Romania, the heads of state of the NATO allies formally 

recognized the missile threat posed by rogue regimes and 

officially endorsed United States missile defense plans, 

stating the following in a communique ́: ‘‘Ballistic missile 

proliferation poses an increasing threat to [the] Allies’ 

forces, territory and populations. Missile defense forms 

part of a broader response to counter this threat. We 

therefore recognize the substantial contribution to the 

protection of Allies from long-range ballistic missiles to 

be provided by the planned deployment of European 

based United States missile defense assets.’’; 

Whereas in December 2008, NATO foreign ministers reaffirmed their support for United States plans to install 

an anti-missile defense shield in Europe; 

Whereas United States missile defense systems have proven 

increasingly effective, as they have been developed and 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
4 

•HRES 581 IH 

tested, as indicated by the fact that since 2001 the 

United States Missile Defense Agency has had 38 successful missile intercepts, out of 48 attempts against missiles of all ranges; and 

Whereas since the deployment and operational start-up of defense assets require continuing commitments and preparatory steps and Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities 

are likely to present a serious threat within a relatively 

short time, it is vital that work continue to expeditiously 

establish missile defense assets in Europe: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses growing concern about the threat 

3 posed by nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons 

4 and missile delivery systems for those weapons in 

5 the hands of states that sponsor terrorism, such as 

6 Iran; 

7 (2) expresses support for the deployment of 

8 United States missile defense assets in Europe that 

9 will provide a defense of the United States and our 

10 European allies from the growing missile threat 

11 posed by rogue regimes; 

12 (3) urges the President to immediately take all 

13 necessary steps to expedite the deployment of com14 ponents of an operational United States ground15 based missile defense system in Europe; 

16 (4) calls upon the President to report to Con17 gress on an annual basis on the steps taken by the 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
5 

•HRES 581 IH 

1 United States Government to move forward with the 

2 deployment of a United States ground-based missile 

3 defense system in Europe that will provide protec4 tion of the United States and Europe; and 

5 (5) states that the United States shall continue 

6 its support for the missile defense of key allies 

7 against attacks by rogue regimes. 

Æ 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS