“Russia has deployed this new counter-space weapon in the same orbit as a US government satellite,” he said in remarks ahead of Monday's vote.
“Russia's May 16 launch follows potential Russian satellite launches of counter-space systems into low Earth orbit in 2019 and 2022.”
In February, the White House said Russia was developing an anti-satellite weapon, the existence of which was confirmed after lawmakers warned of an unspecified but serious threat to national security.
Space has been a rare area where the two countries have maintained some degree of cooperation despite Western sanctions and severed ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Both countries shuttle each other's crew members to the International Space Station (ISS), where their astronauts are jointly deployed.
The space weapons dispute between Moscow and Washington has revived fears of the militarization of space, despite the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits countries from destroying “any object carrying a nuclear weapon or any other form of weapon of mass destruction.” ” from being deployed in orbit or outer space.