WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Strategic Forces, released the following statement after North Korea announced it successfully conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile test:

“The latest test-launch demonstrates a sobering reality: the threat of North Korea is quickly advancing. As the threat increases, we must bring greater pressure to bear on North Korea, and its international patrons, China and Russia, but we should have no illusions that they will solve this problem for us.

“As the chairman of the subcommittee on strategic forces, which has oversight over our homeland missile defense system, I am committed to ensuring our country has an effective defense to protect our citizens from the rogue regime in Pyongyang. The FY 2018 Senate defense authorization bill, recently approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee, strengthens this system and authorizes additional funding to further improve its capabilities. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress, the Trump administration, and our allies on policies to address the severity of North Korea’s behavior.”