Pete Domenici: “since the collapse of the Soviet Union, I have recognized the danger posed by the potential risk of proliferation of…”

“since the collapse of the Soviet Union, I have recognized the danger posed by the potential risk of proliferation of materials or expertise from that nation. Through work with Senators Nunn and Lugar for the original Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction legislation, and later with the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act, I have worked to minimize this risk. Through these bills, and through several other initiatives, we have made progress on the nonproliferation front. But these are complex and difficult programs, success is measured in small steps. While we have come a long ways, we still have a long ways to go. Some of the programs we have established, such as materials protection control and accounting, the initiatives for proliferation prevention, and the nuclear cities initiative, are working fairly well to address some of the major threat issues. The HEU Deal is working to reduce stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, a prime concern for proliferation, although it has needed congressional help at times to keep it alive. The plutonium disposition deal is seriously stalled and needs attention at the highest levels in both the United States and Russia. Even though we are making progress, the focus on terrorism over the last few years has substantially amplified the level of our concerns.”