Alex WellersteinVerified account

Also, I believe Sen Shaheen is the first female voice we've heard in two hours.

None of the panelists recommends legislative changes.

Kehler reminds committee that the military doesn't blindly follow orders. Need to continue to educate/train on legal questions.

Corker shifts to modernization. "Would you all agree that continued modernization protects our nation?" They do.

Thoughts after today's hearing: If the concern is about *this* president's authority to launch nuclear weapons, we have political/constitutional remedies for that.

If the congress has come to the conclusion at long last that no person should be able to unilaterally order a nuclear 1st strike, that is another matter. With distinct impacts for (extended) deterrence.

Alternately, what's to stop congress from adopting/declaring a policy of no first use? That would make any order for a first strike, illegal, right? (Providing at least some cover if someone decided not to obey the order.)

That is basically Lieu-Markey bill. Problem is that all military (incl. under Obama) have repeated rejected NFU policy, so it has been non-starter. I would prefer to disentangle two issues (pres. control and NFU) — you don't need one for other.