Pentagon supports nuclear test resumption
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
Pentagon supports the resump
tion of nuclear weapons testing
"at the earliest possible time”
under current law, a senior
Defense Department official said
Monday.
Faced with a July 1 deadline,
the Clinton administration must
decide soon whether to resume
testing after a nine-month break
— a decision that could lead
Russia and France to do so. as
well.
John Deutch, the undersecre
tary of defense for acquisition
and the chairman of the Nuclear
Weapons Council, stressed the
importance of testing in testimo
ny to the House Armed Services
Committee's nuclear energy
panel.
"We need to conduct these
tests to position the United
States to the extent that it is pos
sible. to maintain a safe, secure,
reliable and effective nuclear
deterrent after testing is halted."
Deutch said.
"Therefore, the Deportment of
Defense supports the resump
tion of nuclear testing at the ear
lies! possible time under the
provisions" of the low.
I-ast year. os port of the fiscal
1993 Energy and Water Devel
opment Appropriations Bill,
Congress approved a measure
imposing a nine-month morato
rium on nuclear weapons tests
beginning in October 1992. That
moratorium expires July 1
The plan, sponsored by
Republican Sen Mark Hatfield
of Oregon and Democratic Sens.
|. lames Exon of Nebraska and
George Mitchell of Maine, also
put strict limits on subsequent
tests and imposed a totul ban
beginning Oct. 1. 1996
Between the end of the nine
month moratorium and the dale
of the total prohibition, nuclear
tests cannot exceed 15.
The total ban would be
waived if Russia resumes testing
after that date.
Former President Hush
opposed the congressional
action last year but then-candi
date Bill Clinton said he sup
ported a comprehensive ban on
nuclear weapons testing.
The hearing focused on the
future of the national laborato
ries. including Lawrence Liver
more. Sandia and Los Alamos
Legislation has been proposed
that would reorganize the labs,
including converting one to
non-defense work
Since last year’s action, the
national laboratories have lob
bied for early resumption of test
ing. hoping to preserve thou
sands of tubs associated with the
testing program.
Testing opponents tiegan a
lobbying counterattack this
week, writing letters to the
administration and arguing for a
total ban on testing beginning in
1996.
The Energy Department had
already signaled its intentions
by putting $462 million into its
fiscal lO'H budget request for
four mu lear weapons tests The
House Armed Services Commit
tee begins legislative action on
that request May 20
Deutch testified that without
mu lear testing, the tei hmcal
judgment of scientists and engi
neers “will he based on theory.
calculations. adaptations of
archival test tfat.i. and data
available from non-nuclear
tests."
"Only nuclear tests can pro
vide data on the nuclear aspects
of the integrated weapon system
performance," he said
The Pentagon official also cit
ed the loss of scientific person
nel at Energy Department
weapons laboratories during the
nuclear test moratorium of l')T>H
to l'lfit and the suspension of
nuclear testing b\ the United
Kingdom between I9f\t» and
1973
"This loss of trained tm hmuil
personnel jeopardizes our abili
ty to adequately support the
safety. se< urity. reliability and
effectiveness of the U S nu< lear
stockpile," Detitch said
John Niu Lolls, director of the
Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory. told the Mouse pan
el that the disintegration of the
Soviet Union and the uncertain
ty among the remaining
repuhlii s creates a new nuclear
danger
Senator
tries to snub
confederate
flag insignia
WASHINGTON (Al’l
Son Carol Moaelov-Brnun, !)•
Ill . is asking hrr colleagues
lo dony the United Daughters
of Ihn (onfederac v a patent
renewal for an insignia that
features tho Confodoroto flag
Moseley Braun said mem
tiers of tho group have ovory
right to honor their Civil War
am estors and to use the flag
in the insignia
But sin< e the group seeks a
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she said, "then those of us
whose am estors fought on a
dliferent side of the i niiflii t
or were held as human i hat
tel under the flag of the Con
federal s have no i hou e fmt
to honor our am estors In
asking whether sin li ai lion is
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