[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14829-S14830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, to highlight something that was in the 
New York Times last Friday--it was Friday, November 30--at the bottom 
of page A12, in the midst of all of this discussion we have had in this 
country over the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran--and properly 
so that we debate that and discuss that--all of the discussion on 
crises and challenges in our foreign policies that threaten our 
national security, the ongoing debate about Iraq, in the midst of all 
of that, we see in the New York Times and other publications a headline 
that reads as follows:

       In Slovakia, three are held in a uranium smuggling case.

  What is this all about? Well, it is about what a lot of people 
believe is maybe the greatest nightmare we face in the country: that a 
small group of terrorists can get a hold of fissile material and create 
a nuclear weapon, any kind of even unsophisticated nuclear weapon or 
dirty bomb--however you want to describe the various types of weapons 
that can be developed--and explode it in an American city or explode

[[Page S14830]]

it in a Western city, maybe, across the world.
  But here is what happened in this case. This is cause for alarm 
because of the lack of attention that is being paid to this issue in 
the press, frankly, and also when the press asks Presidential 
candidates questions in debates because it has not been a subject of 
much debate at all. I am talking about three individuals, two 
Hungarians and a Ukrainian, who were arrested last Wednesday after 
trying to sell highly enriched uranium, according to diplomats in that 
part of the world. Now, it was only half a kilogram, and the poundage 
was very limited. We know you need a lot more kilograms, a lot more 
pounds to have a real threat.
  But here is the problem. We have an administration that has had a 
series of recommendations made to it over many years now about ways we 
can prevent this nightmare from taking place. I gave a speech a couple 
of weeks ago, and a lot of Members of this body have been concerned 
about this issue for years. But the administration has not shown the 
kind of leadership we need to prevent the nightmare of nuclear 
terrorism.
  What can we do? Well, there are a couple of things we can do.
  Very simply, this country could lead an effort, an international 
effort to create a global library of fissile material so we can track 
this material if an explosion occurred or if a terrorist attack 
occurred. Countries would be accountable if we did that. But this 
administration has not shown a willingness to show real leadership on 
this issue.
  Secondly, we should treat an issue such as this as a crime against 
humanity. That is another step which should be taken, and this 
administration should lead that effort. Unfortunately, they have not. 
They have allowed a real gap in the work to persist so that other 
groups, international groups, groups here in America, nonproliferation 
groups across the country have had to take up the ball, so to speak, 
and run with it because this administration does not show the 
leadership.
  I would ask this administration, I would implore them that even in 
the last year of an 8-year administration, they take this issue very 
seriously, even if this particular case that was pointed out in the New 
York Times and other places was by a small group of very 
unsophisticated people across the world. At some point in time, we are 
going to be faced with the challenge of a very sophisticated group of 
terrorists. It might be al-Qaida, which is seeking to do this every day 
of the week. That is the nightmare, and we are not prepared for it, we 
are not spending enough time on it. The administration should lead this 
effort. The next administration as well as this Congress has to show 
leadership.
  That is a gentle but firm reminder from a story just last week. It is 
a real threat to our existence, and it is a threat to our national 
security in and of itself.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Whitehouse). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________