A Senate bill has been drafted that would limit funding for the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) Weapon at 2017 levels until President Donald Trump’s administration submits a Nuclear Posture Review to Congress, according to a press release from Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.).
LRSO would be a new nuclear-armed, air-launched missile that would replace the current Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). LRSO would reportedly cost between $20-30 billion over 20 years to build, according to the Markey press release.
“The United States has more nuclear weapons than it needs,” Markey said. “Instead of wasting billions of dollars on this dangerous new nuclear weapon…we should preserve America’s resources and pursue a global ban on nuclear cruise missiles.”
Co-sponsors are: Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).