Byron Dorgan: “the statement made yesterday by the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee was a statement that says, we don't know…”

“the statement made yesterday by the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee was a statement that says, we don't know what you might negotiate. It has not yet been negotiated; a proposal does not yet exist. But whatever it is and whatever it might be, we intend to kill it. It will be dead in my committee. That is not what this country ought to be doing with the subject of arms control. As we meet in the Senate discussing a range of things, and especially discussing, more recently, the case of Elian Gonzalez, which seems to have co-opted so much attention in this country, other countries around the world aspire to acquire nuclear weapons. The spread of nuclear weapons is a very serious matter. Will more and more countries have access to nuclear bombs and the means by which to deliver those nuclear weapons, or will this country provide leadership in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons? Arms control agreements have worked. Those in this Congress who have stopped arms control agreements and who have said any future agreements will be dead in our committee or in this Congress are wrong. It is the wrong policy for this country. Our country should instead be saying we embrace thoughtful, reasonable, arms control agreements that make this a safer world.”