Robert Torricelli: “sometimes seemingly small issues take on a great significance in large debates. I raised the prospect of objecting to…”

“sometimes seemingly small issues take on a great significance in large debates. I raised the prospect of objecting to going to conference on this bill because of an issue that both in my State and potentially in my country looms very large. A week ago, I raised with the committee my concerns that because of a merger by General Dynamics and another corporation, the United States of America is being left with one producer of smokeless gunpowder. One. One plant, one company, one location. It is a highly volatile matter. Aside from the questions of what this does to the competitiveness for cost for the Pentagon, the waste it may produce, there is the danger of loss of production. I remind my colleagues this is what fuels the TOW missile, hundreds of which are probably now making their way to the Middle East for antitank operations; our strategic forces with the Trident, the Hellfire missile that is used from aircraft and helicopters, one manufacturer. It is my understanding the Pentagon is now considering acquiescing to an action by the Federal Trade Commission because of concerns about what this will do to government costs, monopoly status, safety and quality for what is a matter of great significance to our Armed Forces. It was my hope and intention to include an amendment in the legislation that would have put the Senate on record that indeed the Federal Trade Commission should investigate and, if appropriate, take the proper action.”