[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 26, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LANDMINE REMOVAL ASSISTANCE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 1996

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me 
and our colleague and my good friend from Maryland, Connie Morella, in 
sponsoring legislation to combat one of the most serious crises facing 
our planet. The earth is covered with hidden, silent killers. This 
deadly menace is the more than 100 million antipersonnel landmines that 
are lying in the ground in 64 countries waiting to explode and kill or 
injure some unsuspecting person.
  This terrible tool of war does not distinguish between children and 
soldiers. These mines only cost between $3 and $30 to make. It costs 
from $300 to $1,000 to clear just one landmine. Last year alone, 2 
million new mines were laid. That is twenty times the number of mines 
removed. At the current pace it would take 1,100 years to rid the world 
of antipersonnel landmines. That is truly disturbing and disheartening.
  We must do more to combat this global crisis. The time has come to 
provide a comprehensive, flexible, and long-term approach to improve 
the role that the United States plays in international awareness, 
detection, and clearance of antipersonnel landmines and unexploded 
ordnance.
  The bill we are introducing today takes some important steps toward 
making U.S. participation in humanitarian demining more effective.
  Through measures set forth in this legislation, the United States, 
working with the international community and nongovernmental 
organizations, will have the necessary flexibility and ability to 
provide educational, financial, and technical assistance to those in 
need of humanitarian landmine removal.
  This bill will provide a long-term strategy to guide and sustain U.S. 
demining programs. We would require a 3-year plan. The report would 
also include a budget plan for the following 3 years, with 
recommendations for development of better technologies than exist 
today.
  Currently, landmine funding is largely on an annual basis. This bill 
does not appropriate any funding but does provide the necessary 
flexibility to utilize those funds available for humanitarian demining 
efforts. This bill would make humanitarian demining appropriations ``no 
year'' money which is particularly important since most demining 
projects are multi-year efforts.
  Most significantly, this legislation responds to the growing 
nationwide consensus on the landmine issue. Thanks especially to the 
tremendous efforts and able leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy and our 
colleague, Representative Lane Evans, the landmine menace has been 
under attack here on the Hill; and this issue is now attracting the 
Nation's attention. We must keep pressing this growing problem of 
landmines.
  How many years will it be before landmine clearance even equals the 
number of new landmines? The world may be many decades away from 
achieving this break-even point. We must speed that day along, so that 
we may measure it in years and not decades. Momentum is with us on this 
issue. Much has been done. More needs doing.
  I urge you to join me and our colleague from Maryland to help protect 
the innocent children, the mothers and other unsuspecting civilians, 
and the peacekeepers in Bosnia and around the globe, by joining with us 
to move this important bipartisan legislation through Congress as soon 
as possible to combat the landmine plague. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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