NONPROLIFERATION

Nonproliferation programs seek to prevent the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological materials, weapons, technical knowledge and delivery systems. Senator Levin has focused extensively on supporting nonproliferation programs and the goals of arms control and arms control treaties in order to improve U.S. security. Senator Levin believes that it is important that the United States and other nations live up to their commitments under these various treaties and agreements.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has authorization and oversight responsibilities for the nonproliferation programs at the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Energy (DoE). The primary purpose of these programs is to prevent the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological materials, weapons, technical knowledge and delivery systems. These programs also support a variety of international agencies and the commitments of the United States under a variety of international agreements.

In addition, Senator Levin has concentrated on countries that are known or suspected proliferators of nuclear, chemical, and biological materials, weapons, technical knowledge and delivery systems in violation of international agreements and standards and agreements. Senator Levin has also been actively involved in the Senate’s consideration of the various arms control treaties and other agreements that have come before the Senate.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, former Senator Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., were concerned that the vast quantities of nuclear weapons, materials, technology, and delivery systems that were in Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union would be unprotected and susceptible to falling into the hands of terrorists or states seeking nuclear weapons.

As a result of this concern, the two senators successfully offered legislation that created the Nunn-Lugar programs, which are now known as the Cooperative Threat Reduction programs at the Department of Defense and the Nuclear Nonproliferation programs at the Department of Energy.

Since 1991, the programs at DoD and DoE have both expanded their nuclear focus to include the potential threats posed by chemical weapons and materials and biological materials. These programs, with the cooperation of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and the other countries of the former Soviet Union, have substantially reduced the number of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons delivery systems, and secured vast quantities of nuclear, chemical, and biological materials. DoD is also nearing completion of a large facility in Russia to destroy chemical weapons. In addition, both the DoE and the DoD have established programs that would redirect many of the scientists and engineers and other participants in the weapons programs to non-defense research and commercial activities. Recently, the programs at both DoD and DoE have expanded their scope to secure or destroy nuclear and chemical materials outside of the former Soviet Union, and DoE has started a new program to screen cargo being shipped to the United States for nuclear materials.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is actively involved in treaty and other international agreements and matters that affect the military services and defense activities in general. In 1999, Senator Levin and the committee took an active role in the Senate’s review of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which was ultimately not approved by the Senate.

More recently, Senator Levin and the Armed Services Committee were involved in the Senate’s consideration of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty (SORT), also known as the Moscow Treaty. This treaty with Russia sets as a goal the deployment of no more than 1700-2200 nuclear weapons by December 31, 2012. The Senate approved this treaty.

For many years, Senator Levin has been concerned about the proliferation activities of North Korea, Iraq, Iran and other countries such as India and Pakistan. North Korea has withdrawn from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and has admitted to having an ongoing nuclear weapons program. Recent progress in the six-party talks to bring the North Korean nuclear weapons program to a halt is encouraging but much remains to be done. Iran has not fully disclosed its nuclear activities, as required by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, nor has it stopped its uranium program as required by U.N. resolutions, and may be seeking the ability to develop a nuclear weapons program. Senator Levin will continue to focus on proliferation concerns and nonproliferation programs during 2008.