[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 43 (Thursday, April 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3228-S3229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LUGAR (for himself and Mr. Obama):
  S. 2566. A bill to provide for coordination of proliferation 
interdiction activities and conventional arms disarmament, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Cooperative 
Proliferation Detection, Interdiction Assistance, and Conventional 
Threat Reduction Act of 2006. This bill is based upon the legislation 
that Senator Obama and I introduced last year by the same name. Over 
the last six months we have worked closely with the Administration and 
the Department of State on legislation to improve U.S. programs focused 
on conventional weapons dismantlement and counter-proliferation 
assistance more effective and efficient.
  The Lugar-Obama bill launches two major weapons dismantlement and

[[Page S3229]]

counterproliferation initiatives. Modeled after the Nunn-Lugar program, 
which dismantles weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union 
and beyond, our legislation seeks to build cooperative relationships 
with willing countries to secure vulnerable stockpiles of conventional 
weapons and strengthen barriers against WMD falling into terrorist's 
hands.
  The first part of our legislation energizes U.S. programs to 
dismantle MANPADS and large stockpiles of other conventional weapons, 
including tactical missile systems. There may be as many as 750,000 
MANPADS in arsenals worldwide. The State Department estimates that more 
than 40 civilian aircraft have been hit by such weapons since the 
1970's. In addition loose stocks of small arms and other weapons help 
fuel civil wars and provide ammunition for those who attack 
peacekeepers and aid workers seeking to help war-torn societies. Our 
bill would enhance U.S. capability to safely destroy munitions like 
those used in the improvised roadside bombs that have proved so deadly 
to U.S. forces in Iraq.
  In August Senator Obama and I traveled to Ukraine and saw stacks of 
thousands of mortars and other weapons, left over from the Soviet era. 
The scene there is similar to situations in other states of the former 
Soviet Union, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. In many cases, the 
security around these weapons is minimal. Every stockpile represents a 
theft opportunity for terrorists and a temptation for security 
personnel who might seek to profit by selling weapons on the black 
market. The more stockpiles that can be safeguarded or eliminated, the 
safer we will be. We do not want the question posed the day after an 
attack on an American military base, embassy compound, or commercial 
plane why we didn't do more to address these threats.
  Some foreign governments have already sought U.S. help in eliminating 
their stocks of lightweight antiaircraft missiles and excess weapons 
and ammunition. But low budgets and insufficient attention have 
hampered destruction efforts. Our legislation would require the 
Administration to develop a response commensurate with the threat, by 
requiring better coordination and a three-fold increase in spending in 
this area, to $25 million--a relatively modest sum that would offer 
large benefits to U.S. security.
  The other part of the Lugar-Obama legislation would strengthen the 
ability of America's friends and allies to detect and intercept illegal 
shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction. Stopping these 
weapons and materials of mass destruction in transit is an important 
complement to the Nunn-Lugar program, which aims to eliminate weapons 
of mass destruction at their source.
  We cannot do this alone. We need the vigilance of like-minded 
nations. The Proliferation Security Initiative has been successful in 
enlisting the help of other countries, but many of our partners lack 
the capability to detect and interdict hidden weapons. Lugar-Obama 
seeks to address this gap by providing $50 million to establish a 
coordinated effort to improve the capabilities of foreign partners by 
providing equipment, logistics, training and other support. Examples of 
such assistance may include maritime surveillance and boarding 
equipment, aerial detection and interdiction capabilities, enhanced 
port security, and the provision of hand-held detection equipment and 
passive WMD sensors.
  On February 9 the Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing to 
examine the State Department's efforts in these important areas. In 
response to a question on how important conventional weapons 
elimination and counter-proliferation is to U.S. security Under 
Secretary Joseph stated that ``other than stopping weapons of mass 
destruction (at their source), I personally do not think that there is 
. . . a higher priority.'' The Under Secretary also pointed out that 
with more resources he was confident additional progress could be 
achieved faster.
  We have worked closely with Secretary Rice and her staff to improve 
this legislation. The bill has been modified in a number of ways to 
improve its effectiveness and to provide the Department with the 
authority necessary to carry out important nonproliferation and 
counter-proliferation missions. At the Department's request, we provide 
authorization for the entire Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining, 
and Related Programs account. We also authorize international ship-
boarding agreements under the Proliferation Security Initiative, the 
use of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund outside the former 
Soviet Union, and the use of funds for administrative purposes. In 
addition, we provide the Secretary with the authority to make a 
reprogramming request to use the funds required under this legislation 
for other nonproliferation and counter-proliferation activities in an 
emergency.
  Earlier this week, Secretary Rice appeared before the Committee on 
Foreign Relations. I took the opportunity to ask her opinion of Lugar-
Obama. She stated her personal support and that of the Department and 
the Administration. I am pleased that efforts to craft this important 
effort not only have bipartisan Congressional support but the support 
of the Administration as well.
  The U.S. response to conventional weapons threats and the lack of 
focus on WMD detection and interdiction assistance must be rectified if 
we are to provide a full and complete defense for the American people. 
Senator Obama and I understand that the United States cannot meet every 
conceivable security threat everywhere in the world. But filling the 
security gaps that we have described and that Secretary Rice and Under 
Secretary Joseph have confirmed, should be near the top of our list of 
priorities. We do not believe these problems have received adequate 
resources and look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate 
to rectify the situation.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, Senator Lugar has already outlined the 
legislation that we are reintroducing here today and the process that 
has led us to this point, so I will be brief.
  I don't want my brevity to be confused with indifference towards this 
legislation. I want to underscore the importance of this bill in 
establishing a broad framework to more effectively combat the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and heavy conventional 
weapons. As I have said before, these are two critical issues that 
directly impact the security of the United States.
  In some ways, the bill has already had its desired impact. There was 
a reorganization of the State Department that will improve the 
Department's ability to deal with the proliferation of weapons of mass 
destruction and heavy conventional weapons. Moreover, the legislation 
has focused additional high-level attention--the scarcest commodity in 
Washington--on these Issues.
  However, there is more that needs to be done. I believe the Senate 
can and should move this bill in an expeditious fashion. We have 
already held a hearing on the bill, worked with the State Department to 
update and improve the legislation, and have received endorsements from 
an array of non-governmental organizations that follow these issues.
  I will defer to the Chairman on the procedural issues, but my hope is 
that we can report this bill out of the Foreign Relations Committee as 
soon as possible and work for Senate passage shortly thereafter.
  In closing, I want to thank Senator Lugar for his steadfast 
commitment to these critical issues and look forward to collaborating 
with him in the coming months on this legislation.
                                 ______