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are necessary to make sure that Nunn-Lugar funds are serving their intended purpose, recurrent delays owing to outdated certification requirements have proven detrimental to our ability to protect the homeland.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 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.