[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 18, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H3169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CREATING A SMART SECURITY PLATFORM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, stopping the spread of weapons of mass 
destruction and keeping the American people safe must be our highest 
priority. On that point, President Bush and I agree. Where we differ is 
how to avoid equating our security with aggression and military force.
  I have introduced legislation to create a SMART Security Platform for 
the 21st century. SMART stands for Sensible, Multilateral American 
Response to Terrorism.
  SMART Security calls for aggressive diplomacy, a commitment to 
nuclear nonproliferation, strong regional security arrangements and 
vigorous inspection regimes.
  SMART Security would maintain the United States commitment to 
existing international treaties, like the treaty on the 
nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, which the United States became a 
state party to in 1970, and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which 
the U.S. signed in 1996, but never ratified. Both treaties are vital to 
international security interests.
  The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is the only binding commitment to 
disarm nuclear weapons by states that possess them. The goal of the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is simple: to ban all testing of nuclear 
weapons.
  Earlier today, I offered amendments to the defense authorization bill 
that would express the sense of Congress that the United States 
Government should fully implement and observe all commitments and 
obligations to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and should work 
towards the ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. By 
expressing the sense of Congress to support both of these important 
international treaties, the United States can once again assume the 
role of global leader in the area of nuclear weapons.
  Let us send a message that you do not need nuclear weapons to be a 
world power.
  SMART Security also means supporting and adequately funding programs 
like the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, CTR, which works with 
the Russian Federation to dismantle nuclear warheads, reduce nuclear 
stockpiles and secure nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union. This 
program is crucial to nonproliferation efforts.
  In 1991, an estimated 30,000 nuclear weapons existed throughout the 
former Soviet Union. These conditions led to the serious concern that 
nuclear materials could be smuggled beyond the borders of the former 
Soviet Union or that Soviet nuclear scientists might be able to export 
their expertise or actual nuclear materials to rogue nations or 
terrorist groups.
  CTR enlists the Department of Defense to dismantle nuclear warheads, 
reduce nuclear stockpiles and secure nuclear weapons and materials in 
the former Soviet Union. Under CTR, more than 20,000 Russian 
scientists, formally tasked to create nuclear weapons, have now worked 
to dismantle nearly 6,000 nuclear warheads, 479 ballistic missiles, 435 
ballistic missile silos, 97 bombers, 336 submarine-launched missiles, 
396 submarine missile launchers and 24 strategic missile submarines.
  That is why today I offered an amendment to the defense authorization 
bill that would replicate this program in Iran, to help rid that 
country of the nuclear materials that inspectors from the International 
Atomic Energy Agency are discovering every day.
  The United States and Iran need to work together toward the common 
goal of reducing the world's supply of nuclear weapons because, in the 
long run, negotiating with other countries will keep us much safer than 
scaring them into submission.
  The Bush doctrine has been tried and it has failed. There has to be a 
better way, and there is, one that emphasizes brains instead of brawn, 
one that is consistent with American values. SMART Security defends 
America by relying on the very best of America, our commitment to peace 
and freedom, our compassion for the people of the world, and our 
capacity for multilateral leadership.
  Let us be smart about our future. SMART Security is tough, it is 
pragmatic, it is patriotic, and it will keep America safe.

                          ____________________