TJ Cox: “The 1954 Atomic Energy Act is at bottom what we are discussing here and requires a joint resolution of Congress before…”

“The 1954 Atomic Energy Act is at bottom what we are discussing here and requires a joint resolution of Congress before any nuclear-related trade between an United States company or the United States Government and any other country, so Congress has to act. Senator Glenn amended this law in 1978 with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Act, and that law forbids nuclear-related exports to any country that, after March 10, 1978, assisted, encouraged or induced any non-nuclear Nation to engage in nuclear activities. That includes civilian nuclear activities. On December 16, 1985, Congress passed a joint resolution prospectively approving a U.S.-People's Republic of China nuclear sale, provided that prior to the implementation of that agreement the President certifies that the People's Republic of China is a member in good standing of the community of nonproliferating nations. As my colleagues have heard from all that has gone before, the People's Republic of China takes the view that we do not do it, we do not proliferate, and in any case, we will not do it anymore. They have, in fact, been proliferating, and they have been doing it all the way up to the present time.”