[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 139 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H10037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FAILURE TO RATIFY COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY IS RECKLESS AND DENIES 
         U.S. LEADERSHIP IN FIGHT AGAINST NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

  (Ms. McKINNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans in the Senate are 
strutting around as if they have done something. Trent Lott and Jesse 
Helms, our Nation's chief diplomats, have put this planet on notice 
that when it comes to nuclear testing, America would become the world's 
cheerleader.
  Now, we know that this Republican Congress just loves to play the 
game of brinkmanship. Using the guise of fighting for Republican budget 
priorities, Newt Gingrich showed that he did not care about taking the 
whole country into the abyss with him as Republicans threw the whole 
government into shutdown chaos.
  To fail to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is not just 
reckless, it denies U.S. leadership in the fight against nuclear 
proliferation. We have no moral or legal ground to stand on should any 
rogue state like North Korea or Afghanistan decide to go nuclear.
  Unfortunately, the Senate Republicans do not seem satisfied with 
America in the abyss. It seems now they want to take the whole world 
there with them.

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