The Biden Admin Offered China a Tour of a Critical Nuclear Test Site

I guess the Chinese spy balloon incident didn’t give the Chinese Communist Party a good enough peek at U.S. military installations, because the Biden administration decided to offer China and Russia a VIP tour of the National Nuclear Security Administration site in Nevada—a site critical to U.S. national security.

And now, GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is leading a coalition of 18 House Republicans demanding answers as to why Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm offered foreign adversaries access to a sensitive U.S. nuclear testing site. 

“The Biden Administration’s willingness to allow our strategic rivals this unprecedented access to our sensitive nuclear testing will only embolden their efforts to increase their offensive capabilities,” reads a letter the 18 Republicans sent to Granholm dated November 9. "Once again, the Biden Administration is rewarding our adversaries with access to our sensitive nuclear technology while not demanding anything in return. Giving our adversaries unfettered access to our nuclear testing will only work to undermine our interests and worsen the international destabilization we are facing because of the Biden Administration’s weakness on the world stage.”

The PRC is working tirelessly to expand its nuclear capabilities. Earlier this year, General Anthony Cotton, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Strategic Forces that the PRC is already growing its capabilities at an alarming rate and is projected to have over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. The Defense Department's 2023 China Military Power Report released on October 19 warned that China’s nuclear expansion is exceeding previous U.S. projections. The PRC has no reason to halt its expansion if they are given this access while offering nothing in return. Beijing has refused to engage in discussions on its nuclear expansion and have already refused to respond to the U.S. offer. No confirmed reciprocation of transparency in their nuclear programs will only embolden their efforts to continue growing their arsenal.

According to Fox News Digital, "The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) offered to invite its Chinese and Russian counterparts to tour the Nevada site — where sensitive nuclear experimentation is conducted — during the latest International Atomic Energy Agency summit, according to Bloomberg. Corey Hinderstein, a senior NNSA official, said China and Russia didn't immediately respond to the offer."

But the real question is why was the offer made in the first place?

The Biden administration’s offer came months after President Vladimir Putin pulled Russia out of the sole remaining nuclear arms control pact with America. Earlier this month, Putin also signed a law withdrawing Russia from its ratification of a global treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons tests, a move swiftly condemned by the State Department. Earlier this year, a Chinese spy balloon was discovered surveilling U.S. military sites without intervention from the Biden administration.

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), one of the co-signers of Stefanik's letter to Granholm, told Fox News Digital that giving Russia and China access to U.S. nuclear facilities "allows them to derive our methods and procedures and this destroys deterrence."

"As Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, one of my priorities has been to strengthen and protect our nuclear arsenal,” he added. "In the world today, nothing could jeopardize our national security more than losing this advantage. I was stunned to hear recent reports of Biden administration officials inviting citizens from our two greatest adversaries to observe U.S. nuclear weapons tests."