Tony Thurmond: “I rise in support of the CFE Flank Document resolution of ratification. My support of the CFE Flank Document is based…”

“I rise in support of the CFE Flank Document resolution of ratification. My support of the CFE Flank Document is based largely upon the 14 conditions that the Foreign Relations Committee attached to the resolution of ratification. I am particularly pleased that the Foreign Relations Committee included condition 9, which deals with the Senate's prerogatives on multilateralization of the ABM Treaty. This has been an issue with which the Armed Services Committee has been deeply involved for many years. I would strongly oppose any effort to dilute or eliminate condition 9 from the resolution of ratification. Condition 9 does not take a position, as such, on the ABM Treaty or treaty succession. It simply seeks to protect the Senate's prerogatives in case the treaty is substantively changed. I find it difficult to believe that any Member of this body would be opposed to this objective. In my view, it is a solemn and fundamental obligation of a Senator to consistently guard the rights and prerogatives of the Senate, regardless of which political party may occupy the White House at any given time. Mr. President, although international law is ambiguous on the question of treaty succession, the U.S. Constitution and statutory law is clear.…”