Madam President, I have an amendment to send to the desk.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Madam President, this amendment is the result of several hearings I chaired in the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security and Proliferation on the importance of Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction assistance to national security.

The collapse of the Soviet Union left stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials vulnerable to theft and diversion. The Nunn-Lugar legislative initiative of 1991 established several threat reduction programs in the Departments of Defense and Energy to help dismantle weapons of mass destruction or improve their security. These programs, along with others in the State Department, are critical to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or the diversion of material to terrorists. U.S. non-proliferation activities have accomplished a great deal. With American assistance, all nuclear weapons have been removed from Ukraine, Kazakstan, and Belarus. Our non-proliferation programs also prevent the recruitment by terrorists or other countries of WMD scientists and engineers. The CTR and other non-proliferation programs are making progress but face a new set of responsibilities in light of the Moscow Treaty. The Russian Federation intends to reduce and destroy various weapons systems with U.S. assistance under the CTR and other non-proliferation programs. I strongly support language in the Moscow Treaty that directs the President to "submit to Congress ... a report and recommendations on how United States Cooperative Threat Reduction assistance to the Russian Federation can best contribute to enabling the Russian Federation to implement the Treaty efficiently... ."

In November 2001, President Bush and President Putin met to discuss historic cuts to the nuclear stockpiles in the U.S. and Russia.

This discussion led to the Moscow Treaty before us today.

After the first day of that summit, President Bush remarked that "our highest priority is to keep terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction ... we will strengthen our efforts to cut off every possible source of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons material and expertise."

The CTR and other non-proliferation programs are the primary means we have to prevent weapons, weapon-usable materials, and expertise in the Russian Federation from falling into the hands of terrorists. Secretary of State Powell said in testimony before the Senate that the CTR program will be used to "make warhead storage facilities more secure. Such U.S. assistance will also increase the security of the Russian warheads made excess as provided in the Moscow Treaty."

The goals of the CTR and other non-proliferation programs are vital to national security. Getting there will be difficult. We must provide these programs with the funding necessary to accomplish their important and challenging task.

I have joined my friend and colleague, Senator Lugar, in supporting adequate funding and high-level administration support for these programs for years. For this reason, my amendment would ensure funding estimates are included in this annual report on CTR contributions to Russian implementation of the Moscow Treaty. It is important that Congress know how the CTR and non-proliferation programs can be used to help the Russian Federation with its Treaty obligations. It is equally important for Congress to know what these programs require to realize their full potential for enhancing security.

Mr. President, I have had discussions with the distinguished Chairman concerning my amendment. He has given me assurances that the intent of my amendment will be covered in the report mentioned in Condition One and other reports already required by Congress. For this reason, I withdraw my amendment, and Senator Lugar and I will enter into a colloquy on this issue.