Congressman fights for Airborne Lasers.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Washington Pulse

The highest-ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee offered an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill to transfer $30 million from the space-based kinetic boost program to the airborne laser program. "The administration's budget request seeks to resurrect a space-based system to shoot down missiles in the boost phase with a kinetic energy interceptor, a path the Reagan-era Strategic Defense Initiative followed twice before and failed miserably," said Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C. "We should not let this bad idea drain money from more pressing military needs."

His amendment would...