[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 130 (Saturday, August 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S11708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______


               SUPPORT FOR SEISMIC MONITORING CAPABILITY

 Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, the proliferation of nuclear weapons 
continues to be one of the most serious threats to national security, 
which underscores the need for the United States to maintain an 
effective capability to detect and identify clandestine nuclear tests. 
The challenge for seismic monitoring is the detection and 
identification of events of small magnitude. To meet this challenge it 
is necessary to acquire regional data not less than 1,000 kilometers 
from a test.
  For many years, a consortium of universities has operated a multiple-
use, global seismographic network that has been supported with funds 
from the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation. 
These facilities represent a small but significant investment by the 
U.S. Government, offer effective and needed nuclear test monitoring 
capabilities worldwide, and enhance regional coverage in areas not 
adequately covered by national technical means [NTM].
  Data provided by this global seismographic network can be used to 
locate seismic events, discriminate natural versus explosive sources, 
and estimate magnitude and/or yield--all of which are critical in 
detection and identification of clandestine nuclear tests. Enhancing 
accuracy of event location is particularly important in greatly 
reducing the area which must be investigated through costly on-site 
inspections or the use of NTM. The data obtained from this network thus 
complement, rather than compete with, data obtained from NTM.
  This type of information will be invaluable in helping our Government 
to verify a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We are already well 
into the evolution of the post-cold war world, and one unpleasant fact 
of life about such a world is that professional test ban monitors no 
longer have the luxury of simply gathering data about activities at 
certain fixed, well-characterized sites. Now the problem has gotten 
more complex: We are increasingly concerned about small, low-yield test 
explosions, and we are facing a verification challenge that is truly 
global in scope. Given the global distribution of significant 
nongovernmental seismic monitoring capabilities, it is only prudent for 
us to exploit whatever resources are available and appropriate to get 
the job done.
  The network is administered by a consortium which today consists of 
over 80 research institutions and affiliates around the globe. The 
National Science and Technology Council [NSTC] is developing a long-
term funding plan for the GSN and JSP. Because of delays in the NSTC 
process funding recommendations were not included in the 
administration's fiscal year 1996 budget request, but are being 
incorporated in the fiscal year 1997 budget request. In the meantime, 
this action is needed to ensure continuation of these important 
programs.
  My amendment specifies that $9,500,000 of prior year funds from the 
Defense Support Program which are available as a result of the omnibus 
reprogramming shall be available for continuation of the Global 
Seismographic Network [GSN] and Joint Seismic Program [JSP]. This is 
maintained by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research [AFOSR] in PE 
601102F, project 2309. 


                          ____________________