[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ``MX MISSILE STAND-DOWN ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2001

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join Congressman Markey 
today in offering this important bill which I believe would take an 
important step toward making the world safer from the threat of 
accidental nuclear war.
  As you may know, Mr. Speaker, the United States and Russia maintain 
between them, over 4000 weapons on high alert. These weapons are 
capable of being launched in 3 to 15 minutes and have a combined 
destructive power nearly 100,000 times greater than the atomic bomb 
dropped over Hiroshima.
  Within a few minutes of receiving instructions to fire, American and 
Russian land-based rockets with over 3,000 warheads could begin their 
25 minute flight to their targets. Less than 15 minutes after receiving 
their attack order, U.S. and Russian ballistic missile submarines could 
dispatch over 1,000 warheads.
  As you know Mr. Speaker, none of these missiles can be recalled or 
made to self-destruct.
  The Cold War is over but the dangers posed by nuclear weapons have 
increased because of the heightened risk of an attack resulting from 
accident, miscalculation or unauthorized use. Indeed, I have serious 
concerns about the steady deterioration of Russia's early warning and 
nuclear command systems. According to intelligence reports, critical 
electronic devices and computers sometimes switch to combat mode for no 
apparent reason. And many of the radars and satellites intended to 
detect a ballistic missile attack no longer operate.
  During the 2000 campaign, President Bush stated that the ``U.S. 
should remove as many weapons as possible from high-alert, hair-trigger 
status'' because an excess number ``on high-alert may create 
unacceptable risks of accidental or unauthorized launch''.
  This important bill would take a small but significant step toward 
reducing the risk of accidental nuclear conflict by de-alerting the 50 
Peacekeeper Missiles. By building trust with the Russians and showing 
them we are serious about arms control, this measure is a serious and 
responsible investment in our country's security.
  In 1991, responding to the August Moscow coup, and along with START 
negotiations, President George Bush took 450 Minuteman II missiles and 
all strategic bombers off alert.
  In response, Russia announced the deactivation of 503 ICBMs and 
pledged to keep bombers at low readiness levels.
  Mr. Speaker, ten years later it is high time we do this again. Let's 
deactivate the MX Missiles and send the Russians the same message we 
did in 1991 that we are serious about reducing the threat of nuclear 
war.

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