U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden, requesting that he take action to prevent future violations of U.S. airspace.
The letter stems from the circumstances surrounding a Chinese spy balloon initially publicly reported in domestic airspace above Billings, Mont.
“We write in response to recent events of the China spy balloon and other objects entering American air space over the past two weeks,” Tester and Collins wrote. “We remain deeply concerned by these violations of United States sovereignty, and it is clear more needs to be done to address these situations. We are encouraged to hear that you will include in your upcoming Fiscal Year 2024 budget request the resources and plans necessary to respond to these types of provocations.”
Tester, chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Collins, ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, spearheaded the first public briefing with Biden administration officials regarding the Chinese spy balloon, seeking answers on the actions taken and the plan for addressing future unidentified objects entering domestic air space.
“As we made clear during this committee session, our country needs to take decisive action to curb a future spy balloon from traveling through American air space,” the legislators concluded. “While questions remain regarding that highly publicized event, the Administration needs to strengthen our capabilities in this space. There is no duty more important than keeping the United States safe and defending our national security. We will work with, and hold accountable, anyone to meet that responsibility.”