Zach Nunn: “I am pleased to propose on behalf of myself, Senator Thurmond, Senator Biden, and Senator Warner, an amendment to…”

“I am pleased to propose on behalf of myself, Senator Thurmond, Senator Biden, and Senator Warner, an amendment to address a significant gap in the law regarding the use of chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction in criminal terrorist activities. The Armed Forces have special capabilities to counter nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. They are trained and equipped to detect, suppress, and contain these dangerous materials in hostile situations. Most of our law enforcement officials do not have anything like the capability that our military does in these unique circumstances. At the present time the statutory authority to use the Armed Forces in situations involving the criminal use of these weapons of mass destruction extends only to nuclear materials. In my opinion, chemical and biological attacks on the United States, terrorist attacks, are much more likely than nuclear, although all would be horrible.”