The ghosts of the Nevada Test Site still linger — those “downwinders” who paid the price for America’s nuclear experiments in the 1950s. Families in Utah, Arizona, and our neighbors here in Nevada and White Pine County still tell stories of fallout, sickness, and loss. Their pain is real, and it should never be dismissed.

But today’s conversation about nuclear testing isn’t about repeating those mistakes. It’s about making sure the U.S. nuclear deterrent actually works in a world where our adversaries — Russia, China, and North Korea — are testing and expanding theirs without restraint.

Modern testing wouldn’t look like the mushroom clouds of the past. It would be controlled, monitored, and designed to protect both people and the environment.

The sad truth is, deterrence only works if your weapons are credible. The world is getting more dangerous, not less. A strong America means a safer world.

Remember the lessons of history — but don’t let them keep us from defending the future.