"I am disappointed that my colleague Ed Markey has chosen to unnecessarily alarm the American public about the state of security at our nuclear weapons complex. After inspecting several of the facilities in the complex and countless briefings by security and administration officials, I am confident that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and NNSA Administrator Gen. John Gordon treat security as their highest priority.
"There is no indication that security at our nation’s nuclear laboratories is lax. Report after report and study after study show that security is not only adequate, but is improving with every change in the perceived threat and with every test.
"Security is reflective of the threat level. That is why security at the labs was good on September 10, and on September 11 security was immediately heightened to address a new international situation and remains vigilant today.
"Moreover, just as banks hire computer hackers to break into their systems to identify and correct potential weaknesses, the National Nuclear Security Administration is constantly testing security at the labs. Better the Navy Seals identify potential vulnerabilities than al Qaeda. Only by constantly pushing the limits of security with these tests will security continue to be improved."
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) is the Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee panel that oversees the National Nuclear Security Administration, which Congress established in 2000 to manage America’s nuclear weapons program in light of security and management concerns.