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REP LIEU STATEMENT ON LETTER FROM FORMER NUCLEAR LAUNCH OFFICERS OPPOSING NUCLEAR FIRST STRIKE BY PRESIDENT

January 11, 2018

WASHINGTON- Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after Politico reported that 17 former nuclear launch officers signed a letter calling for congressional action to prevent the President from launching a nuclear first-strike unprovoked.

"What does it tell us that 17 former nuclear launch officers want to keep first-strike authority out of the President's hands? That we should be terrified.

I applaud these officers for coming forward. They are telling the American people how dangerous it is that we give a President with little impulse control the power to order a nuclear first strike. Sen. Markey and I introduced the ‘Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act' to require the President to get Congressional authorization before launching a nuclear first strike. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation before it's too late."

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