[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 7, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14058-S14059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. WILLIAM POTTER

 Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I wish to commemorate the awarding 
of the first endowed professorship in the field of nonproliferation 
studies to my friend, Dr. William Potter. Bill has served as director 
of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of 
International Studies. In that post he has made valuable contributions 
to U.S. policy through detailed analysis of the threat posed by the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, comprehensive program-
matic reviews of efforts to address the threat, and training of arms 
control and nonproliferation experts.
  Bill Potter has an unequaled research and academic record in the 
field of nonproliferation. He has served as a consultant to the Arms 
Control and Disarmament Agency and the RAND Corporation. In addition, 
he has served for a number of years on the United Nations Secretary 
General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Research. He has written or 
edited 14 books and contributed to more than 90 books or journals. He 
has also made Monterey's quarterly publication, ``The Nonproliferation 
Review,'' the leading journal in the field of nonproliferation.
  I am honored that Monterey Institute has named Dr. Potter's new 
position the ``Nunn-Lugar chair of nonproliferation studies.'' In 1991, 
Sam Nunn and I believed that our Government had to act to address the 
threats posed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union. As political and 
military leaders inched away from Cold War standoffs, the weapons they 
had developed to threaten and deter each other remained capable of 
killing the entire American population and rendering our country a 
wasteland.

[[Page S14059]]

  Sam and I worked closely with experts and friends like Bill Potter. 
Together we understood that a unilateral effort would not succeed and 
challenged the United States and our former enemies to work together. 
The United States needed a diplomatic strategy and a programmatic 
response to the threat. The Nunn-Lugar program was our answer. The 
program succeeded in convincing Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to 
remove all nuclear weapons from their territories. In addition, it 
became the primary tool through which the United States continues to 
work with Russia to destroy its massive nuclear, chemical, and 
biological warfare capacity.
  I could relate many stories and experiences I have enjoyed with Bill 
Potter. His patient diplomacy and leadership have made important 
contributions to U.S. national security and international peace. The 
education, policy information, and policy expertise he will provide 
through his new position to the students at the Monterey Institute will 
continue the grand tradition he has established there and ensure that 
his talents and dedication are continued in a fine academic tradition.
  The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was and remains the 
No. 1 national security threat facing the United States and the 
international community. We still have a lot of work to do to address 
the threats posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 
I congratulate the university and Dr. Potter on this important 
announcement and look forward to continuing my close relationship with 
Bill and his colleagues at Monterey as we work together to address the 
threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 


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