Washington:A Republican U.S. lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at updating the Pentagon's list of critical assets for President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense initiative, in response to increasing missile threats from China and Russia, as well as growing security cooperation among U.S. adversaries, including North Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) presented the bill to the House of Representatives on October 6, mandating the Secretary of Defense to revise the Pentagon's Critical Asset List. This update is intended to include facilities and systems crucial to the Golden Dome's development, deployment, and operation. The bill has been forwarded to the House Armed Services Committee for consideration.
The proposed legislation emphasizes the importance of incorporating space-based sensors and interceptors, ground control stations, ground-based missile defense facilities, and vital command-and-control infrastructure into the updated list. Furthermore, it calls for a revision of the Pentagon's Defended Asset List to prioritize assets based on their significance, susceptibility to missile attacks, and available defensive resources.
The bill highlights advancements in missile technologies by China and Russia, particularly in long-range cruise and hypersonic missiles, as substantial threats to U.S. homeland security and critical infrastructure. It also references North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's presence at a military parade in Beijing in September 2025, alongside leaders from China, Russia, and Iran, as indicative of enhanced security cooperation among these nations.
In May 2025, President Trump announced a US$175 billion plan to build the Golden Dome missile defense shield, which includes space-based interceptors, as a measure to counteract the growing threats from North Korea, China, and Russia. North Korea subsequently criticized the U.S. plan, accusing it of pursuing an outer space nuclear war scenario.
Source Yonhap News Agency