[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          BREAKING THE ABM TREATY COULD SPARK A NEW ARMS RACE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2001

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, It is with tremendous concern that I note the 
President's announcement that the United States will withdraw from the 
Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. This is an ill-advised decision 
that could have dangerous repercussions in the long run.
  The most troubling part of the President's decision today is the 
rationale supporters have used to justify backing out of the treaty: 
they claim it interferes with the United States' development of a 
National Missile Defense (NMD) system. This is clearly a straw man 
argument.
  The United States is nowhere near developing or fielding a working 
NMD system, after decades and billions of dollars of effort. To back 
out of the treaty at this time, a time when we are working closely with 
Russia and other allies in the international war on terror, is unneeded 
and simply off base. And to do so for such a technologically premature 
program is clearly folly.
  Backing out of the ABM treaty is not without serious repercussions. 
For example, a senior Russian lawmaker predicted in response to today's 
news that Russia will pull out of the Start I and Start II arms 
reduction treaties. I fear that today's action will lead to a spiral of 
action and reactions, sparking a new arms race would not make us less, 
not more, secure.

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