[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 78 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H3541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE 
                                 TREATY

  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include 
therein extraneous material.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce a 
resolution that would express support for President George W. Bush's 
withdrawal of the United States from the 1972 Anti-ballistic Missile 
Treaty. Today marks the conclusion of the 6-month notification of the 
withdrawal from the ABM Treaty by the United States.
  My legislation reaffirms that the United States' national security 
has fundamentally changed since 1972. Not only do the Russians and 
Chinese have ballistic missile arsenals that are capable of reaching 
the United States, but so do a growing number of countries that are 
hostile to the United States' interests, such as North Korea, Iran and 
Iraq.
  This resolution simply says that the Congress supports the decision 
by the President to withdraw the United States from the ABM Treaty in 
accordance with article 15 of the treaty. It also states that Congress 
supports efforts to provide for the establishment of a robust layered 
missile defense system to protect the United States and its allies.
  Very frankly, the United States faces new and complex threats. 
September 11, 2001, showed the new threats to our national security and 
the potential threats we face by more than 32 countries that are 
working on ballistic missile development. The new threats involve 
states with considerably fewer missiles with less accuracy, yield, 
reliability and range. However, emerging ballistic missile systems can 
potentially kill tens of thousands, or even millions, of Americans, 
depending on the warhead and intended target.
  I believe we cannot allow these countries to use ballistic missiles 
as instruments of blackmail against the United States and its allies. 
The way we can and must defend our homeland is through the development 
of a layered missile defense system, a layered system that would 
violate the terms of the ABM Treaty.
  Clearly, the day has come to withdraw from this dated and ineffective 
document that was created more than 30 years ago during a different 
time and under different conditions than those that face our national 
security today.
  I would also like to submit the following sponsors: The gentleman 
from California (Mr. Hunter), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Jeff 
Miller), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler), the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Jones), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hyde), and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts).

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