[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 102 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7739-S7740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE RESEARCH

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, on Monday, July 14, 1997, I offered 
an amendment to the fiscal year 1998 Department of Defense 
appropriations bill which specifically appropriated funds for a program 
of basic research in the area of chemical and biological defenses. I 
want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Defense Appropriations 
Subcommittee, Senator Stevens, and the ranking minority

[[Page S7740]]

member, Senator Inouye, for accepting this very important amendment.
  This chemical and biological sensor research program was specifically 
authorized in the Defense authorization bill which was overwhelmingly 
passed by the Senate last week. The Senate Armed Services Committee 
recommended, and the Senate approved, an increase of $2 million in 
research and development funding for a joint service program to develop 
a prototype hybrid integrated sensor array for chemical and biological 
point detection.
  The Senate Armed Services Committee's intent was to accelerate the 
development of small sensors which would detect, in real time, the 
presence of chemical or biological agents. These sensors would be based 
on metal oxide and biochemical film technologies. In its report, the 
Senate Armed Services Committee emphasized its support for this program 
and for expanding the knowledge in military relevant fields of chemical 
and biological research. Our soldiers in the field need this technology 
to protect them from the possible threat presented by chemical and 
biological agents.
  Mr. President, I have reviewed the fiscal year 1998 Department of 
Defense appropriations bill which we are considering here in the 
Senate, and it is unclear as to whether the funding for this program, 
which was included in the Defense authorization bill, has sufficient 
appropriations. My intent, with this amendment, is to make clear that 
this bill appropriates funds for this very important program.
  Mr. President, the threat from chemical and biological weapons that 
faces our Nation's troops is very real and very dangerous. During the 
Persian Gulf war, we witnessed just how dangerous the threat of 
chemical and biological weapons was during that crisis and how this 
threat continues today.
  We must also consider the fact that chemical and biological weapons 
may also be a potential weapon of choice for use by terrorists. 
Continued research and development in the area of sensor development 
must continue in this field to counter these very real threats.
  There is an urgent need to have effective chemical and biological 
weapon sensors that can detect the presence of these weapons in real-
time or near-real-time. The Department of Defense needs to rapidly 
develop these kinds of sensors, and that is the intent of this 
amendment.
  This amendment does not seek to go beyond the authorized funding 
amount. It seeks merely to insure that the program which the Senate has 
voted to authorize is fully funded in this bill. I thank my colleagues 
for their support of this amendment.

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