Joe Biden: “I can understand why the Senator may think we have had hearings because we have had hearings on other subjects that…”

“I can understand why the Senator may think we have had hearings because we have had hearings on other subjects that implicate the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. It is mentioned by witnesses. But we have never had a hearing on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty--a treaty of great consequence to the United States and the world--conducted in the traditional way. We never had a hearing where we said this is what we are going to talk about. We need a hearing where we bring up the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, or major voices in America who oppose this treaty--fortunately, I think there are not that many--or significant figures and scientists who have spoken and know about this issue. We haven't had one of those hearings at all. I submit for the Record, again, a letter from the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee sent to the President of the United States on January 21, 1998, with a concluding paragraph, which reads as follows: Mr. President, let me be clear. I will be prepared to schedule Committee consideration of the CTBT only after the Senate has had an opportunity to consider and vote on the Kyoto Protocol and the amendments to the ABM Treaty.”