OnTheIssuesLogo

Jim Bridenstine on Homeland Security

 

 


Intentional explosions in space pose risk to all spaceflight

NASA and says that space debris created by the India's intentional explosion should be considered a threat to the International Space Station and the astronauts on board.

India destroyed one of its satellites with a missile last week, a move the Indian Prime Minister welcomed as one that established India "as a space power." But NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said that it posed an "unacceptable" threat to astronauts on board the ISS.

"What we are tracking right now, objects 4 inches or bigger --about 60 pieces have been tracked," he said. He said 24 of those pieces were traveling above the ISS, even though the satellite had been orbiting 185 miles above the Earth, lower than the station, which orbits roughly 250 miles above the Earth. "That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station," Bridenstine added. "That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight."

Source: Business Insider on Trump Cabinet (NASA) , Apr 2, 2019

Develop missile intercept capability to counter Russians

I have been a Navy pilot for 10 years. I am deeply concerned that our national security objectives have been compromised for a domestic agenda that restricts freedom, punishes achievement, cripples the economy, and makes us less competitive in the world.

The START Treaty should have been renegotiated to allow the U.S. to develop a ballistic missile intercept capability and reduce the 10,000 unit Russian advantage in tactical nuclear weapons.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, jimbridenstine.com, "Issues" , Nov 6, 2012

Smart defense reductions; don't jeopardize national security

In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?

A: No.

Q: Do you support reducing Medicaid spending?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support reducing Medicare spending?

A: Yes.

Q: Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?

A: Yes. We must balance our national budget. Our debt is unsustainable, jeopardizing our ability to attract capital needed to expand our economy and create jobs. Politicians often get re-elected by making promises which can't be kept. However, retired people and those nearing retirement have counted upon these promises. Therefore, people 55 or older should be protected from benefit reductions. I support smart reductions in defense spending that don't jeopardize national security.

Source: Oklahoma Congressional 2012 Political Courage Test , Oct 30, 2012

Supports targeting suspected terrorists, according to PVS.

Bridenstine supports the PVS survey question on terrorism

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'National Security: Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?'

Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q14 on Aug 30, 2012

Supports reducing defense spending.

Bridenstine supports the PVS survey question on defense spending

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?'

Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q15 on Aug 30, 2012

Sponsored opposing the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.

Bridenstine co-sponsored Resolution on UN

Congressional Summary:Expressing the conditions for the US becoming a signatory to the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

  1. the President should not sign the Arms Trade Treaty, and that the Senate should not ratify the ATT; and
  2. that no Federal funds should be authorized to implement the ATT.

Opponent's argument against bill:(United Nations press release, June 3, 2013):

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon str

Source: S.CON.RES.7 & H.CON.RES.23 : 13-HCR23 on Mar 13, 2013

Restrict domestic monitoring of phone calls.

Bridenstine signed restricting domestic monitoring of phone calls

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2014 or the USA FREEDOM Act: Congressional Summary:

  • Requires the FBI, when seeking phone call records, to show both relevance and a reasonable suspicion that the specific selection term is associated with a foreign power engaged in international terrorism.
  • Requires a judge approving the release, on a daily basis, of call detail records; and to limit production of records to a period of 180 days.
  • Requires a declassification review of each decision issued by the FISA court; and make such decisions publicly available, subject to permissible redactions.

    Opposing argument: (ACLU, "Surveillance Reform After the USA Freedom Act", June 3, 2015): The USA Freedom Act that passed by a 67-32 margin is not as strong as we wanted. It is markedly weaker than the original version of the USA Freedom Act that the ACLU first supported in 2013. We supported a sunset of the provisions in an effort to advance more comprehensive reform, including rejecting surveillance through cybersecurity information-sharing legislation. Notwithstanding this, however, it is very clear that the USA Freedom Act is a historic step forward.

    Opposing argument: (Cato Institute , "Cato scholars differ on USA Freedom Act", Oct., 2015): The privacy community remained divided over the USA Freedom Act. The final version of the bill reauthorized several expiring Patriot Act provisions, but limited bulk collection. Some legislators argued that to pass new legislation would only provide the government convenient new legal justification for its spying--which it would interpret broadly. On the opposite side of the argument stood some pro-privacy groups who held that modest reforms were better than no reforms at all.

    Source: H.R.2048&S.2685 14-H2048 on Apr 28, 2015

    End bulk data collection under USA PATRIOT Act.

    Bridenstine co-sponsored USA FREEDOM Act

    Congressional summary:: Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection, and Online Monitoring Act or the USA FREEDOM Act: