Larry Pressler: “Today along with my colleagues, Senators Glenn, D'Amato, John Kerry, Bennett, and Feinstein, I am introducing…”

“Today along with my colleagues, Senators Glenn, D'Amato, John Kerry, Bennett, and Feinstein, I am introducing legislation in an effort to restore credibility to our Nation's already damaged nuclear nonproliferation policy. Nonproliferation is one of our most important national security concerns, if not the most important. Even the President admitted last year that no issue is more important to the security of all people than nuclear nonproliferation. At present, our efforts in this area are tied to another vital goal: the promotion of peace and security in South Asia. I have visited South Asia. I have said before it is a region of striking contrasts--a region of such enormous potential clouded by tension and instability. As all of us well know, last year President Clinton requested, and Congress agreed to, a one time exception and partial repeal of one our most important nonproliferation laws: the so-called Pressler amendment. The Pressler amendment, approved by Congress in 1985, prohibits United States military and nonmilitary assistance to Pakistan, including arms sales, so long as Pakistan possesses a nuclear explosive device. The Senate had an extensive debate on this subject last fall. As a result of last year's exception--known as the Brown amendment--approximately 370 million dollars' worth of American military goods is scheduled for delivery to Pakistan. The Brown amendment was very controversial.”