[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12531-S12532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTING

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, this afternoon at 5 o'clock, the Senate 
will vote on final passage of the Defense appropriations bill, which 
will then go to conference. One of the provisions contained in that 
bill, which was added by amendment, I think is worthy of note and has 
not received significant attention, either by Members of the Senate or 
by the public at large.
  So I wanted to call it to the attention of both of my colleagues and 
of the public and indicate my strong support for it. It is an amendment 
that Senator Akaka offered, amendment No. 2406 on behalf of himself and 
Senator Pell. The amendment was adopted by voice vote and puts the 
Senate clearly on record with regard to nuclear testing contemplated by 
the Republic of France. Let me just read the amendment as it was 
adopted by the Senate before we went out of session earlier in August. 
It says:

       Sense of the Senate regarding underground nuclear testing.
       Findings. The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The President of France stated on June 13, 1995, that 
     the Republic of France plans to conduct eight nuclear test 
     explosions over the next several months.
       (2) The People's Republic of China continues to conduct 
     underground nuclear weapons tests. 

[[Page S 12532]]

       (3) The United States, France, Russia, and Great Britain 
     have observed a moratorium on nuclear testing since 1992.
       (4) A resumption of testing by the Republic of France could 
     result in the disintegration of the current testing 
     moratorium in the renewal of underground testing by other 
     nuclear weapon states.
       (5) A resumption of nuclear testing by the Republic of 
     France raises serious environmental and health concerns.
       (6) The United Nations Conference on Disarmament presently 
     is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, for the purpose of 
     negotiating a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which 
     would halt permanently the practice of conducting nuclear 
     test explosions.
       (7) Continued underground weapons testing by the Republic 
     of France and the People's Republic of China undermines the 
     efforts of the international community to conclude a CTBT by 
     1996, a goal endorsed by 175 nations at the recently 
     completed NPT Extension and Review Conference (the conference 
     for the extension and review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation 
     Treaty).

  Therefore, ``It is the sense of the Senate that the Republic of 
France and the People's Republic of China should abide by the current 
international moratorium on nuclear test explosions and refrain from 
conducting underground nuclear tests in advance of the Comprehensive 
Test Ban Treaty.''
  That is the end of the resolution adopted here in the Senate before 
we went out on recess, Mr. President. As I am sure my colleagues know, 
the People's Republic of China has gone ahead during this last month 
and conducted one additional underground test in contravention of the 
sentiments expressed in this resolution. The Republic of France is now 
contemplating and intending, as I understand it, to proceed with eight 
additional nuclear test explosions over the next several months.
  I believe it is very important that the Senate is on record as being 
opposed to these nuclear explosions. And I felt it was important to 
call to the attention of Members of the Senate and the public that this 
was unanimously agreed to by the Senate as part of this Defense 
appropriations bill, which will be finally voted by the Senate at 5 
this afternoon.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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