US Congressman Says N Korea 'Puts Our Foot on Accelerator' Over Missile Defense

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The 2018 US military budget moves to the floor of the House of Representatives this week, with provisions to speed up deployment of missile defenses to counter North Korea, Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.

"This [bill] includes big strategic issues such as really putting our foot on the accelerator when it comes to missile defense dealing with North Korea among other issues," Thornberry stated.

The House of Representatives version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act would authorize $2.5 billion above President Donald Trump’s budget request to buy more interceptors for the Aegis, Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems. Moreover, the bill would authorize funds for additional investments in the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GBMD) system, according to published reports.

The United States recently deployed a ground-based version of THAAD in South Korea in response to North Korea’s frequent missile tests and efforts to develop nuclear warheads for its rockets.

The House of Representatives Armed Services Committee approved the budget legislation in a bipartisan 60-1 vote.