A Democratic Senate committee chairman is demanding that the Biden administration answer questions about how and why a Chinese spy balloon was allowed to infiltrate U.S. airspace this week.
Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, where the balloon was first reported to be on Thursday, said he would hold a hearing of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to try and get some answers from the administration about the balloon. His announcement comes as several GOP senators from states the balloon passed over have also begun to demand some answers.
“Montanans value their freedom and privacy and I’ll always fight to defend both,” Tester said Friday. “China’s actions are a clear threat to those values and to America’s national security, and I’m demanding answers from the Biden Administration. I will be pulling people before my committee to get real answers on how this happened, and how we can prevent it from ever happening again.”
Earlier in the day, the Montana Democrat issued a statement about the situation: “This provocation is completely unacceptable, and I am in close contact with Department of Defense and Intelligence officials. We are still waiting for real answers on how this happened and what steps the Administration took to protect our country, and I will hold everyone accountable until I get them. I will always defend Montana and our national security from hostile adversaries like China.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) is also looking for answers after the balloon traversed his state on Friday.
“I’m calling for an investigation and demanding answers from the Biden Admin. on why a Chinese spy balloon was allowed to hover over critical military infrastructure in Missouri and across the interior of the U.S. without any intervention,” he tweeted.
🚨BREAKING: I’m calling for an investigation and demanding answers from the Biden Admin. on why a Chinese spy balloon was allowed to hover over critical military infrastructure in Missouri and across the interior of the U.S. without any intervention. pic.twitter.com/c25ZEGKpWC
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) February 3, 2023
“The Chinese spy balloon flew over Missouri today including near critical military installations. Missourians and Americans deserve action and answers. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee I’m demanding just that,” he added in a separate tweet.
The Chinese spy balloon flew over Missouri today including near critical military installations.
Missourians and Americans deserve action and answers.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee I’m demanding just that. https://t.co/QIYc7OVRZ0
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) February 3, 2023
“China invaded US airspace, & the Biden admin needs to take action to address this situation. Further delay is unacceptable,” Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Tester’s Montana Senate colleague, Republican Steve Daines, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asking him for a briefing on the situation.
“The fact that this balloon was occupying Montana airspace creates significant concern that Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) and the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fields are the target of this intelligence gathering mission,” Daines wrote. “Given the serious nature of the event, I am requesting a full security briefing from the administration on this situation. It is vital to establish the flight path of this balloon, any compromised U.S. national security assets, and all telecom or IT infrastructure on the ground within the U.S. that this spy-balloon was utilizing.”
