Lynn C. Woolsey: “there seems to be something missing from the debate today. It is like the elephant in the room, no one wants to talk…”

“there seems to be something missing from the debate today. It is like the elephant in the room, no one wants to talk about it. Whatever happens to the United States' own commitment to nonproliferation? Yesterday, I went before the Rules Committee, and I had 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 item may be transferred to India, including exports of nuclear and nuclear-related material, equipment or technology. Unfortunately, my amendment was not included in this restrictive rule. As many of my colleagues have stated, this objection is not about the deal or our alliance 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 United States will cut a deal down the road. If anything, the U.S. is contributing to global nuclear proliferation with this agreement. Vote against the rule because in a world that is becoming more, not less, violent by the day we must face the facts. Until the United States lives up to its nonproliferation obligations, how can we possibly ask others to do so? Today, I will vote against this misguided bill. I will vote against the rule. I urge my colleagues to do the same.”