[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S10542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I just want to talk for a brief bit of time 
on the Interior appropriations bill and on some matters that are very 
important to people throughout this country, particularly in the West. 
But let me begin by making a comment about what the Senator from North 
Dakota has just said. In fact, he has said that he is going to threaten 
to bring the business of the Senate to a halt unless he gets his way, 
and what he wants to do is have a debate on the Comprehensive Test Ban 
Treaty.
  There are a lot of important things facing this country. But to quote 
from the President of the United States, who very recently gave a talk 
about putting first things first, it seems to me that most of the 
American people would like to put first things first, and that would 
include matters such as the continuation of the running of the 
Government for the next year which would require us to pass 
appropriations bills to fund the various Departments of the Government, 
not the least of which is the Department of the Interior which is what 
we are going to be talking about next. There will be plenty of time to 
debate the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
  But in terms of the priority of this country, I think our colleagues 
need to understand that treaty can't even go into effect until 100 
percent of the major countries of the world sign it. There are many 
countries that haven't signed it. It is going to be years before that 
treaty goes into effect. There is no rush for the United States to have 
to take up that treaty.
  To be threatened with stopping all business of the Senate until it 
can debate the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, I hope my colleague will 
reconsider his position on that. We talk about what I consider to be 
first things first, and that would be to finish our business here, 
which is, first of all, to get the appropriations bills passed and sent 
to the President for his consideration.

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