[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 93]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY REPORT

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, today, former Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, General John M. Shalikashvili, released his report 
reviewing the major issues regarding ratification of the Comprehensive 
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which was rejected by the Senate in a vote last 
fall. His review of the brief debate in the Senate over this critical 
matter of national security is thorough in its scope and balanced in 
its recommendations. I urge President Bush and his national security 
advisory team to review General Shalikashvili's report closely and 
undertake to address his observations and recommendations immediately.
  When it comes to the proliferation or improvement of nuclear weapons, 
time is NOT on our side. The CTBT, when ratified and in force, will 
discourage non-nuclear weapons states from creating their own nuclear 
arsenals and prevent current nuclear states from building new 
capabilities that can endanger American and international security. The 
hearings held in the Senate last fall, although not nearly as 
comprehensive as they should have been, did serve to articulate issues 
of greatest concern to those who are uncertain or opposed to the 
treaty.
  Those issues must be addressed head-on in order for the nation to 
proceed in a bipartisan way regarding further consideration of the 
Treaty. The international community of nations is watching us closely 
to see what direction the United States will choose to take. In his 
report, General Shalikashvili has identified the key controversial 
issues and calls for specific actions to meet primary concerns before 
the President and the Senate reconsider the Treaty.
  President-elect Bush has clearly stated that he seeks to unify the 
country and is committed to enhancing our national security. Given the 
divisions in the electorate and in the Congress itself, the challenge 
of gaining bipartisan support on key legislative matters including 
defense matters is a daunting one for the new administration. Given the 
outstanding work of General Shalikashvili in reviewing last year's 
debate on the CTBT, President-elect Bush has a very important 
opportunity to pursue bipartisan national security policy by committing 
to review General Shalikashvili's thoughtful assessment and to 
undertaking the recommendations he has put forward. As a member of the 
bipartisan Senate working group that has been examining the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, I urge my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle to support General Shalikashvili's effort on this critical 
national security matter.

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