Embassy Events 2007 

U.S. Congressional Delegation in Poland to Discuss Missile Defense

13 September 2007

From left, Rep. Michael Turner, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga, Rep. Jim Cooper

A bipartisan congressional delegation visited Warsaw on September 13 to meet with senior Polish officials to discuss the proposal to base ground based interceptors on Polish territory as part of the European component of Ballistic Missile Defense.  Chairman of the Strategic Forces Sub-committee Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) led the delegation, which included Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH).  In their meetings, the group stressed the bipartisan nature of support in congress for missile defense, and particularly for a European component to counter the existing medium and short-range missile threat from the Middle East, as well as the projected risk of a long-term ballistic missile threat.  The delegation’s visit followed briefings earlier this week at NATO headquarters in Belgium regarding the European missile defense proposal and how it complements NATO’s plans for theater ballistic missile defense.