Ellen Tauscher: “I rise today to make clear my opposition to a provision originally in the Senate's version of the Defense Authorization…”

“I rise today to make clear my opposition to a provision originally in the Senate's version of the Defense Authorization bill. This provision authorizes a study on a new type of weapon, one that many have started to call ``mini-nukes.'' The purpose of this study is for the government to consider a new weapon capable of destroying underground bunkers. Proponents of the provision say that the bunkers in question are used by States of Concern to protect their leaders in times of crisis, or to store stockpiles of biological or chemical weapons. They also say the weapons are an improvement over prior systems since the release they cause of chemical or biological agents into the environment is negligible. Therefore, proponents argue, we must have these weapons. The problem is that we don't need new nuclear weapons; the Defense Department has not even identified a requirement for this type of weapon. What is more, I know from top-secret discussions with the Pentagon that we have other, non-nuclear ways of destroying and disabling the underground bunkers. Studying a new weapon only takes us one step closer to manufacturing it. And this is one weapon we do not need to manufacture. One of the major concerns I have with this study is that it focuses on making a ``usable'' nuclear weapon, or one that does not harm civilians. But that is ridiculous--no nuclear weapon can side-step mass destruction and the harming of civilians.”