[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 46 (Monday, April 2, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3276-S3277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Lugar):
  S. 673. A bill to establish within the executive branch of the 
Government an interagency committee to review and coordinate United 
States nonproliferation efforts in the independent states of the former 
Soviet Union; to the Committee on Government Affairs.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to address 
the coordination of spending, both public and private, on U.S. non-
proliferation efforts in Russia. I am pleased to be joined in 
introducing this bill by my colleagues Senators Biden and Lugar.
  In 1991, the world faced the very real specter of nuclear chaos 
erupting from the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Largely through 
the foresight and leadership of Senators Nunn and Lugar, Congress 
established a fledging program that year authorizing the use of Defense 
Department funds to assist with the safe and secure transportation, 
storage, and dismantlement of nuclear, chemical and other weapons in 
the former Soviet Union. The world is a much safer place because of 
these efforts. I commend my friend and co-sponsor, Senator Lugar, for 
the important contribution he has made to the national security of this 
nation.
  In the past ten years the Nunn-Lugar initiative has grown into a 
multi-pronged attack by the Departments of Defense, State and Energy to 
ensure that weapons of mass destruction, weapons-usable material and 
technology, and weapons-related knowledge in Russia and the Newly 
Independent States remain beyond the reach of terrorist and weapons-
proliferating states. This investment has yielded an impressive return. 
Over the past decade, important gains have been made in securing 
weapons, technology and knowledge in the former Soviet Union. By 
assisting Russia we have enhanced our own national security. But this 
success has come with problems of coordination.
  U.S. public spending on non-proliferation programs in the Russian 
Federation suffers from a lack of coordination within and among United 
States Government agencies and departments. As recently as last 
January, a bipartisan task force led by former Senator Howard Baker and 
former White House Counsel Lloyd Cutler released a report calling for 
improved coordination within the U.S. government on non-proliferation 
assistance to Russia. The importance of these programs to the national 
security of this nation demands that we address this issue. We must 
coordinate U.S. government non-proliferation efforts in Russia to 
ensure that our overall spending on these efforts is both efficient and 
maximized to further the national security interests of the United 
States.
  Ensuring the efficiency of our public spending also requires that we 
take into account the increased spending and investment by the United 
States private sector on non-proliferation efforts in Russia. This 
private spending, still small but registering positive results, will 
continue to increase. We must ensure that public spending on

[[Page S3277]]

Russian non-proliferation programs is not in conflict with this 
important contribution from the U.S. private sector.
  The Non-Proliferation Assistance Coordination Act of 2001 calls on 
the President to create an interagency committee that will monitor and 
coordinate the implementation of United States non-proliferation 
efforts in Russia. Under the direction of the President's National 
Security Assistant, representatives from the Departments of State, 
Defense, Energy and Commerce would provide guidance on coordinating, 
de-conflicting and maximizing the utility of United States public 
spending on our important non-proliferation efforts in Russia. I 
believe U.S. non-proliferation efforts in Russia, first initiated a 
decade ago under the leadership of Senators Lugar and Nunn, have made 
lasting contributions to the national security of the United States. 
This bill will ensure that future non-proliferation assistance to 
Russia is well spent.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 673

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Nonproliferation Assistance 
     Coordination Action of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) United States nonproliferation efforts in the 
     independent states of the former Soviet Union have achieved 
     important results in ensuring that weapons of mass 
     destruction, weapons-usable material and technology, and 
     weapons-related knowledge remain beyond the reach of 
     terrorists and weapons-proliferating states;
       (2) although these efforts are in the United States 
     national security interest, the effectiveness of these 
     efforts suffers from a lack of coordination within and among 
     United States Government agencies;
       (3) increased spending and investment by the United States 
     private sector on nonproliferation efforts in the independent 
     states of the former Soviet Union, specifically, spending and 
     investment by the United States private sector in job 
     creation initiatives and proposals for unemployed Russian 
     weapons scientists and technicians, is making an important 
     contribution in ensuring that knowledge related to weapons of 
     mass destruction remains beyond the reach of terrorists and 
     weapons-proliferating states; and
       (4) increased spending and investment by the United States 
     private sector on nonproliferation efforts in the independent 
     states of the former Soviet Union requires the establishment 
     of a coordinating body to ensure that United States public 
     and private efforts are not in conflict, and to ensure that 
     public spending on efforts by the independent states of the 
     former Soviet Union is maximized to ensure efficiency and 
     further United States national security interests.

     SEC. 3. INDEPENDENT STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION 
                   DEFINED.

       In this Act, the term ``independent states of the former 
     Soviet Union'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of 
     the FREEDOM Support Act (22 U.S.C. 5801).

     SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE ON NON-PROLIFERATION 
                   ASSISTANCE TO THE INDEPENDENT STATES OF THE 
                   FORMER SOVIET UNION.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     executive branch of the Government an interagency committee 
     known as the ``Committee on Nonproliferation Assistance to 
     the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union'' (in this 
     Act referred to as the ``Committee'').
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of five 
     members, as follows:
       (A) A representative of the Department of State designated 
     by the Secretary of State.
       (B) A representative of the Department of Energy designated 
     by the Secretary of Energy.
       (C) A representative of the Department of Defense 
     designated by the Secretary of Defense.
       (D) A representative of the Department of Commerce 
     designated by the Secretary of Commerce.
       (E) A representative of the Assistant to the President for 
     National Security Affairs designated by the Assistant to the 
     President.
       (2) Level of representation.--The Secretary of a department 
     named in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (1) 
     shall designate as the department's representative an 
     official of that department who is not below the level of an 
     Assistant Secretary of the department.
       (b) Chair.--The representative of the Assistant to the 
     President for National Security Affairs shall serve as Chair 
     of the Committee. The Chair may invite the head of any other 
     department or agency of the United States to designate a 
     representative of that department or agency to participate 
     from time to time in the activities of the Committee.

     SEC. 5. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE.

       (a) In General.--The Committee shall have primary 
     continuing responsibility within the executive branch of the 
     Government for--
       (1) monitoring United States nonproliferation efforts in 
     the independent states of the former Soviet Union; and
       (2) coordinating the implementation of United States policy 
     with respect to such efforts.
       (b) Duties Specified.--In carrying out the responsibilities 
     described in subsection (a), the Committee shall--
       (1) arrange for the preparation of analyses on the issues 
     and problems relating to coordination within and among United 
     States departments and agencies on nonproliferation efforts 
     of the independent states of the former Soviet Union;
       (2) arrange for the preparation of analyses on the issues 
     and problems relating to coordination between the United 
     States public and private sectors on nonproliferation efforts 
     in the independent states of the former Soviet Union, 
     including coordination between public and private spending on 
     nonproliferation programs of the independent states of the 
     former Soviet Union and coordination between public 
     spending and private investment in defense conversion 
     activities of the independent states of the former Soviet 
     Union;
       (3) provide guidance on arrangements that will coordinate, 
     de-conflict, and maximize the utility of United States public 
     spending on nonproliferation programs of the independent 
     states of the former Soviet Union to ensure efficiency and 
     further United States national security interests;
       (4) encourage companies and nongovernmental organizations 
     involved in nonproliferation efforts of the independent 
     states of the former Soviet Union to voluntarily report these 
     efforts to the Committee;
       (5)(A) arrange for the preparation of analyses on the 
     issues and problems relating to the coordination between the 
     United States and other countries with respect to 
     nonproliferation efforts in the independent states of the 
     former Soviet Union; and
       (B) provide guidance and arrangements that will coordinate, 
     de-conflict, and maximize the utility of United States public 
     spending on nonproliferation programs of the independent 
     states of the former Soviet Union to ensure efficiency and 
     further United States national security interests; and
       (6) consider, and make recommendations to the President and 
     Congress with respect to, proposals for new legislation or 
     regulations relating to United States nonproliferation 
     efforts in the independent states of the former Soviet Union 
     as may be necessary.

     SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.

       All United States departments and agencies shall provide, 
     to the extent permitted by law, such information and 
     assistance as may be requested by the Committee or the 
     Secretary of State in carrying out their functions and 
     activities under this Act.

     SEC. 7. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.

       Information which has been submitted or received in 
     confidence shall not be publicly disclosed, except to the 
     extent required by law, and such information shall be used by 
     the Committee only for the purpose of carrying out the 
     functions and activities set forth in this Act.

     SEC. 8. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this Act--
       (1) applies to the data-gathering, regulatory, or 
     enforcement authority of any existing United States 
     department or agency over nonproliferation efforts in the 
     independent states of the former Soviet Union, and the review 
     of those efforts undertaken by the Committee shall not in any 
     way supersede or prejudice any other process provided by law; 
     or
       (2) applies to any activity that is reportable pursuant to 
     title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 413 
     et seq.).
                                 ______