Fischer regains leadership of Senate Strategic Forces Subcommittee

WASHINGTON — Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) has reclaimed the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee, the panel announced Jan. 24. Fischer previously served as the subcommittee’s ranking Republican. 

The Strategic Forces subcommittee oversees the United States’ nuclear weapons programs, missile defense systems, space programs, and arms control initiatives. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who chaired the subcommittee during the 118th Congress, steps into the role of ranking member.  

Fischer’s state is home to Offutt Air Force Base, the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), which plays a central role in nuclear deterrence and global strike operations. 

A member of the Senate since 2013, Fischer has been a proponent of modernizing the nation’s strategic forces and of increased investment in the U.S. nuclear triad — the interlocking system of land-based missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and strategic bombers that underpin the country’s nuclear deterrence strategy.  

Fischer also has advocated for increased funding for next-generation missile defense systems and space-based surveillance technologies to counter emerging threats, such as China’s hypersonic glide vehicles.  

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