Lynn C. Woolsey: “we are here to debate the India Nuclear Bill. However, there seems to be something missing from the debate today. It's…”

“we are here to debate the India Nuclear Bill. However, there seems to be something missing from the debate today. It's like the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about. Whatever happened to the United States' own commitment to nonproliferation? When the House considered its own version, I tried to submit an amendment that was quite simple. It stated that until the President has implemented and observed all of our NPT obligations and revised its own policies relating to them, no nuclear-related item may be transferred to India. Unfortunately, my amendment was not included. And yet another closed rule from the Republican leadership precludes any compromise today. As many of my colleagues have stated, this is not about the deal or our alliances with India. This is about how the Bush administration has made a mockery of the NPT and encouraged other countries to go around the treaty. Basically, the bill says that if a country ignores the NPT, the U.S. will cut a deal with them. Where is our commitment to nonproliferation? If anything, with this treaty the U.S. will contribute to global nuclear proliferation. In a world that is becoming more--not less--violent by the day, we must face the facts: Until the U.S. lives up to its own nonproliferation, obligations, we can't possibly ask others to do so. Today, I will vote against this misguided bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.”