[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 6 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E89]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO DR. HAROLD P. SMITH, JR., ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF 
      DEFENSE FOR NUCLEAR AND CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE PROGRAMS

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                         HON. RONALD V. DELLUMS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 1998

  Mr. DELLUMS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today to the 
numerous accomplishments of my constituent, Dr. Harold P. Smith, Jr., 
the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and 
Biological Defense Programs. He is leaving his position to return to 
California. In his service to the Administration, he directed programs 
that refocused national defense to respond to the growing threat posed 
by the potential proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
  One of the most noteworthy programs benefiting from Dr. Smith's 
skillful leadership was the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program. 
This program was designed to help the successor states to the Former 
Soviet Union eliminate WMD delivery systems and to promote the safety 
and security of the weapons remaining in Russia. Dr. Smith established 
a dedicated Program Office which successfully implemented agreements 
with the Former Soviet Union that eventually resulted in the 
denuclearization of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. This program 
initiated the construction of a major fissile material storage facility 
in Russia to provide secure, long-term storage for approximately 12,500 
nuclear warheads. In addition, supercontainers, specialized railcars, 
emergency response equipment, computerized inventory and personnel 
reliability capabilities were provided to enhance the safe and secure 
transportation and storage of Russia's nuclear warheads. He personally 
negotiated an agreement with Russia to design the first Chemical 
Weapons Destruction Facility to begin the destruction of 40,000 metric 
tons of chemical weapons.
  Dr. Smith significantly advanced the U.S. Chemical Demilitarization 
Program. The destruction process for the United States chemical weapons 
stockpile is currently underway at Johnston Island and Tooele Army 
Depot in Utah. Construction of destruction facilities at the other 
seven storage sites in the United States is on schedule to meet the 
requirements of the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty that entered 
into force in 1997.
  Unprecedented changes affecting nuclear matters occurred during Dr. 
Smith's assignment. He worked successfully with the Department of 
Energy and the Department of Defense to balance the nuclear stockpile 
in a non-testing environment. In anticipation of implementation of a 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, he collaborated with the Department of 
Energy to develop the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP). 
This plan will eliminate nuclear explosive testing requirements. Dr. 
Smith also improved significantly our capability to monitor world-wide 
nuclear testing and organized the Department of Defense for this 
support.
  In response to shortfalls in military capabilities identified during 
Operation Desert Storm, Dr. Smith established a Joint Program Office to 
ensure better management and higher visibility of Department of Defense 
chemical and biological defense programs. Resources required to counter 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction were moved from research 
and development status to procurement programs in support of troops on 
the battlefield. He was instrumental in joint military service 
improvements of biological agent detection systems such as the 
establishment of the Joint Vaccine Acquisition contract. As a result, 
shortages of equipment critical for U.S. forces to survive and fight on 
contaminated battlefields have been remedied.
  Two Defense agencies have enhanced their missions under Dr. Smith's 
leadership. The Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) has 
responsibility for supporting a variety of programs dealing with WMD. 
This mission includes support for CTR, research and development for 
counter proliferation and arms control, as well as facility 
vulnerability assessments. DSWA is now the center for nuclear expertise 
in the Department of Defense. The On-Site Inspection Agency has set 
international standards in arms control monitoring through professional 
execution of inspection, reduction, liaison, escort, and monitoring 
missions for various regimes.
  I commend Dr. Smith's leadership and accomplishments in reducing the 
threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction. He successfully tackled a very 
challenging mission and his contributions towards improving our 
nation's security are many and enduring.




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