Tony Thurmond: “Let me assure my friend that I am aware of this issue and agree that a legislative solution is necessary. It is clear…”

“Let me assure my friend that I am aware of this issue and agree that a legislative solution is necessary. It is clear that the Navy's use of pulpers and shredders provides the best available means of balancing the competing interests associated with environmental protection, shipboard quality of life, operational capability, and cost effectiveness. As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I feel that compliance with U.S. and international laws must, as a matter of national security, take into consideration the impacts on mission effectiveness and operational flexibility. Navy ships are self-contained units with severe limits on space, weight, and the ability to power onboard equipment. In short, these ships are designed to maximize mission performance for the preservation of our national security. Based on an administration request and the Navy's expressed operational needs, I have included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1997 that is similar to S. 1728. I say to the Senator from Alaska, I would propose that we use the National Defense Authorization Act as a vehicle for this legislative provision.”