[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 98 (Monday, June 28, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S5497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AMMONIUM NITRATE FERTILIZER

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 570, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 570) calling for continued support 
     for and an increased effort by the Governments of Pakistan, 
     Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries to effectively 
     monitor and regulate the manufacture, sale, transport, and 
     use of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in order to prevent the 
     transport of ammonium nitrate into Afghanistan where the 
     ammonium nitrate is used in improvised explosive devices.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate, and any statements related to the resolution be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 570) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 570

       Whereas it is illegal to manufacture, own, or use ammonium 
     nitrate fertilizer in Afghanistan since a ban was instituted 
     by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in January 2010;
       Whereas ammonium nitrate fertilizer has historically been 
     and continues to be 1 of the primary explosive ingredients 
     used in improvised explosive devices (referred to in this 
     preamble as ``IEDs'') by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan 
     against the United States and coalition forces;
       Whereas 275 United States troops were killed by IEDs in 
     Afghanistan in 2009;
       Whereas large amounts of ammonium nitrate are shipped into 
     Afghanistan from Pakistan, Iran, and other Central Asian 
     countries;
       Whereas the Government of Pakistan has indicated a 
     willingness to work collaboratively with the Governments of 
     the United States and Afghanistan to address the regulation 
     and interdiction of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and other IED 
     precursors; and
       Whereas the United States government currently provides 
     assistance to Pakistan for agricultural development and 
     capacity building: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges the Governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and 
     other Central Asian countries to fully commit to regulating 
     the sale, transport, and use of ammonium nitrate in the 
     region;
       (2) calls on the Secretary of State--
       (A) to continue to diplomatically engage with the 
     Governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian 
     countries to address the proliferation and transportation of 
     ammonium nitrate and other improvised explosive device 
     (``IED'') precursors in the region; and
       (B) to work with the World Customs Organization and other 
     international bodies, as the Secretary of State determines to 
     be appropriate, on initiatives to improve controls globally 
     on IED components; and
       (3) urges the Secretary of State to work with the 
     Governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian 
     countries to encourage and support improvements in 
     infrastructure and procedures at border crossings to prevent 
     the flow of ammonium nitrate and other IED precursors or 
     components into the region.

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