HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 37
(By Delegates Trump, Fletcher, L. Smith, Riggs, Harrison,
Canterbury, Walters, Smirl, Romine, Armstead and Schadler)
[Introduced February 21, 2002; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the West Virginia Congressional Delegation to work to
implement a National Missile Defense System.
Whereas, The 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty was
signed with a nation that no longer exists; and
Whereas, An increasing number of nations - including China,
North Korea, Iran and Iraq - either currently possess the
capability to launch missile attacks against the United States or
its allies, or are working to obtain that capability; and
Whereas, Due in part to the advances in technology, the
possibility that a missile bearing a weapon of mass destruction
will be used against United States forces or interests is higher
today than it was during most of the Cold War; and
Whereas, Terrorist groups, not just sovereign nations, have the
means to buy ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons and missiles;
and
Whereas, While systems are in place to thwart terrorism, the
nation still has no defense against missile attack; and
Whereas, The Cold War policy of "mutual assured destruction"
embodied in arms control treaties is not sufficient to deter
terrorist missile attacks; and
Whereas, Defending against missile attack is the government's
moral obligation to the citizen's of the United States; therefore,
be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature of West Virginia requests our elected
representatives in the United States Congress to support and vote
for the implementation of a national missile defense system; and,
be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is directed to
forward a copy of this resolution to the members of the West
Virginia Congressional Delegation.