Urge Armed Services Chairman Thurmond To Show Leadership In the Wake 
     of India and Pakistan Testing of Nuclear Weapons 
     
     Washington--Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) in a 
     letter to the Chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee Strom 
     Thurmond (R-SC) urged him, in the wake of India and Pakistan holding 
     nuclear tests, hold hearings over the national security implications 
     of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CBTB).
     
        "The events in India and Pakistan remind us that we continue to 
     live in a dangerous world," Levin said. "The Comprehensive Test Ban 
     Treaty would help make it safer, but only if the Senate approves and 
     the United States ratifies the Treaty. Before that can happen, the 
     Senate must assume its constitutional responsibilities and begin the 
     process of holding hearings on the Treaty as soon as possible." 
     
        "The era of nuclear testing is clearly not over. It is even more 
     important today than it was yesterday to send a strong message to 
     world leaders about the importance the United States Senate places on 
     the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. A Committee hearing is central to 
     getting the message across," Bingaman said.
     
        The long-term ramifications of the success or failure of the CTBT 
     are of keen importance to the Armed Services Committee. Controlling 
     the spread of nuclear materials and nuclear weapons has long been a 
     priority of the committee. The CTBT is a key component in the effort 
     to reduce the threat posed by nuclear weapons and to improve U.S. 
     national security. As such, it is both important and appropriate that 
     the Armed Services Committee should hold hearings on the national 
     security implications of the Treaty as soon as possible and prepare a 
     report setting forth its views. Levin is the Ranking Minority Member 
     of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and Bingaman is the Ranking 
     Minority Member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.


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