Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, has introduced legislation that would limit President Obama’s ability to approve the placement of Russian monitoring stations (GLONASS) on U.S. soil.
As Yellowhammer reported last month, the U.S. State Department under the leadership of Secretary of State John Kerry wants to allow Russia to build these facilities in the United States.
U.S.-based monitoring stations would vastly improve GLONASS, Russia’s version of the American Global Positioning System (GPS), the satellite network that guides American missiles to their targets with pinpoint precision.
The U.S. intelligence community and armed services committee members on Capitol Hill believe that assisting with the Russian system would leave the United States susceptible to spying and strengthen Russia’s long-range weapons capabilities.
“Locating Russian-controlled monitoring stations in the United States creates the risk that Russia could locate electronic intelligence gathering equipment in those ground stations,” Rogers’ office said in a release last week.
Rogers was the first Member of Congress to challenge this Russian proposal when he sent a letter in early November to Secretary Hagel, Secretary Kerry and General Clapper expressing his concerns over this issue.
“It is unconscionable to me that the State Department would consider allowing Russia to locate these capabilities on our soil,” Rogers said. “Any one of my kids would have no problem seeing the risks.”
Rogers, who serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, got his legislation put in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.
“I am pleased I was able to ensure this legislation included in the NDAA,” Rogers said.
The provision would be in effect until 2019, ensuring this protection lasts until President Obama leaves office.
The House passed the NDAA last week. It now awaits approval in the Senate.
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