[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 127 (Monday, September 27, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S11492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ANNIVERSARY OF SUBMISSION OF COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY TO SENATE 
                            FOR RATIFICATION

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, as many of my colleagues know, September 
23rd was the 2-year anniversary of submission of the Comprehensive Test 
Ban Treaty to the US Senate for ratification.
  Both Republican and Democratic presidents over the span of 4 decades 
have worked to enhance our national security by negotiating limits on 
nuclear testing. Progress has been slow and halting, but the 
inescapable logic of improving security by banning nuclear tests has 
prevailed. The successful negotiation of the Comprehensive Test Ban 
Treaty, signed by 152 countries, was the culmination of these decades 
of effort on the part of the United States. Ratification and entry into 
force of this treaty is in our best interest and in the best interest 
of nuclear non-proliferation and international stability.
  Mr. President, I have urged the Committee on Foreign Relations to 
hold hearings on this treaty. I know the Chairman has concerns about 
the treaty. I hope he will air them in a forum that will allow 
discussion of his concerns and those of other Members of the Committee. 
And I urge the Majority Leader to bring this treaty to the Senate 
floor. Time is of the essence on this matter. America has been the 
world leader on this issue and was the primary architect of this 
treaty. We have an obligation to take up this treaty in the Senate, to 
educate ourselves on its provisions and to debate the merits of its 
ratification. The eyes of the world are on our actions as the 44 
countries who have ratified the treaty prepare to meet on October 6th 
in Vienna, Austria, to discuss implementation of the treaty. I would 
vastly prefer that the United States were sitting as a party at that 
meeting. But at a minimum, we should use this opportunity to make 
progress on the treaty here in the Senate.
  We have an obligation to future generations to improve the national 
security of our nation. It would be irresponsible of us to let slip out 
of our grasp a very important tool in the fight against nuclear 
proliferation.

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