Amid escalating tensions with Iran, Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, have introduced the Ground and Orbital Launched Defeat of Emergent Nuclear Destruction and Other Missile Engagements (GOLDEN DOME) Act of 2025, a proposal to bolster U.S. missile defense capabilities.
The bill, if passed, would allocate more than $23 billion to develop a new defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons and drones. U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Ind., has introduced a companion measure in the House.
The Golden Dome Act complements President Donald Trump’s executive order directing the implementation of a next-generation missile defense shield for the nation. The president nominated Vice Chief of Space Operations General Michael Guetlein to lead the implementation of the system.
“The greatest deterrence in the world oftentimes are defensive systems,” Cramer said during a news conference on Tuesday.
The proposed system would include space-based interceptors, and draws inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome that boasts a 90% success rate, according to CNN.
Sullivan highlighted the collaboration between American and Israeli technology in the development of the Iron Dome.
“Our country should use and build on this technology that we’ve already developed to develop our own missile defense system against similar threats,” he said on Tuesday.
“In a world where hostile adversaries like Russia and China present an ever-present nuclear threat, America must stand ready to prevent nuclear weapons from harming our citizens,” Messmer said in a news release.
According to Congressional leaders, the Golden Dome Act strengthens the Space Development Agency’s independence and accelerates future tranches, which will likely be operated out of Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Among other provisions, the bill requires the acceleration of the modernization and digitization of the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System at North Dakota’s Cavalier Space Force Station. PARCS is a single-faced, multi-function, UHF-band, phased-array radar systemthat tracks more than half of all earth-orbiting objects. The modernization of PARCS improves detection of intercontinental and sea-launched missile threats, as well as improves space domain awareness capabilities.
The financial implications of the Golden Dome are significant. While Trump has estimated the cost at $175 billion, the Congressional Budget Office projects it could exceed $800 billion over the next 20 years.
Despite the steep price, Middle East Policy Adviser Harley Lippman said, “Being alive is priceless. No life, no anything, right? So to protect the United States and its people from threats — I think that’s paramount.”
“They could use space to blackmail us — just the threat of pressing the button could put America at the mercy of a foreign power. And once that begins, it never ends,” he said.
Defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, are already preparing to possibly contribute to the project.
Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” includes a $25 billion down payment for the Golden Dome. However, experts caution that additional funding will be necessary to fully realize the system, which Trump anticipates will be operational by the end of his term in 2029. Experts suggest a full system could take seven to 10 years to develop and would likely only cover major cities and federal sites.
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