[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 26-27]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THREAT REDUCTION IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2003

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I introduced the Threat 
Reduction Implementation Act of 2003, granting the President permanent 
waiver authority over Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction 
certification requirements to prevent dangerous delays in this critical 
defense program. Unnecessary restrictions and delays in funding Nunn-
Lugar put Americans at risk of potential attacks using smuggled Russian 
chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons technology or material.
  The terrorist attacks of September 11 fundamentally changed the way 
we think of national security and protecting the homeland. Unlike 
adversaries of the past, our enemies today not only utilize 
untraditional weapons in their war of terror, but also are seeking 
access to new and even more destructive weapons, such as chemical, 
biological, and nuclear weapons.
  Twelve years ago, the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program 
was born out of the necessity to ensure that the nuclear arsenal of the 
Soviet Union would not fall into the wrong hands as the Soviet empire 
was coming apart. While much has been done to dismantle these weapons, 
continuing economic and social weaknesses in Russia, coupled with an 
eroding early warning system, poorly secured Russian weapons materials, 
and poorly paid Russian weapons scientists and security personnel, 
increase the threat of mass destruction on an unprecedented scale.
  Unfortunately, every year opponents of the CTR program wage a 
campaign to slow down or even block funds for the continuation of U.S. 
efforts in Russia to monitor and reduce weapons-usable nuclear material 
and other weapons of mass destruction. While accountability and 
oversight are necessary to make sure that Nunn-Lugar funds are serving 
their intended purpose, recurrent delays owing to outdated 
certification requirements have proven detrimental to our ability to 
protect the homeland.
  During the fiscal year 2003 Defense authorization and appropriation 
debates, the administration requested permanent waiver authority over 
many certification requirements in order to permit elements of the 
program to go forward. After a drawn out debate, conferees ended up 
granting a 3-year waiver on the Nunn-Lugar certification requirements 
and a 1-year waiver for the construction of a chemical weapons 
construction facility in Shchuchye, Russia. Avoiding lengthy and 
unnecessary delays in the Nunn-Lugar program and specifically with the 
chemical weapons elimination project in Russia, it is in the strong 
national interest of the United States and justifies granting the 
President permanent waiver authority. With the weapons at Shchuchye 
reportedly able to kill the

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world's population some 20 times over, the continued, insecure 
existence of these highly dangerous and portable weapons is a direct 
threat to the American people.
  Securing Russia's arsenal is a massive challenge, but not an 
impossible one. While the cost of a terrorist attack on the United 
States involving Russian expertise or smuggled Russian nuclear, 
chemical, or biological weapon materials are potentially staggering, 
funding for the simple measures that can prevent these attacks is both 
sensible and urgent. Robust, uninterrupted funding of this very 
critical program would accelerate the progress of reducing these 
attacks on the United States and help the Russian Federation secure its 
weapons stockpile.
  Although the President has broad authority to use force in the war on 
terrorism, ironically he is significantly constrained in using 
cooperative means to destroy these weapons of mass destruction. 
Granting the President permanent waiver authority over Nunn-Lugar 
certification requirements will avoid dangerous delays in this critical 
defense program and prevent Russia's weapons of mass destruction from 
falling into the wrong hands.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from South 
Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher), 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Crowley), the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), and the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), who joined me today as original cosponsors 
of this bill. I would like to also thank Senator Richard Lugar and 
former Senator Sam Nunn for their foresight and leadership on this 
issue. I look forward to working with my colleagues during this 
Congress on this very important homeland security issue.

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