The Council for a Livable World today issued the following statement and
the 48 - 51 vote (with one present) against the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty:

TEST BAN TREATY DEFEATED; 
REPUBLICAN POLITICS DAMAGE NATIONAL SECURITY

October 13, 1999 

Washington, D.C. . . This evening the Senate has defeated the Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty by an overwhelmingly party line vote.         

The defeat marks a disastrous setback for efforts to protect the American
people from the spread of nuclear weapons.  The test ban treaty is the
culmination of worldwide efforts dating back to Presidents Eisenhower and
Kennedy to prevent additional countries from developing nuclear weapons and
the existing nuclear powers from improving theirs.  

John Isaacs, president of Council for a Livable World, stated:  "The major
loser is U.S. national security.  Militant forces that want to test and
deploy new nuclear weapons will be dancing in the streets of India,
Pakistan, China and Russia tonight."

While the defeat is a bitter blow, supporters of the treaty will continue
to work hard for its ratification.  

"We will push for a new vote as soon as practicable, when there is more
time for the facts and the arguments to be put before the American people,"
said Isaacs.  "We will campaign on the advantages of the treaty and stress
the disadvantage of failing to bring the treaty into force."

The opposition within the Republican Party to a treaty supported by more
than 80 percent of the American people — and even 80 percent of Republicans
— shows that the Republication Party remains a captive of its extreme right
wing and old cold warriors.

Isaacs accused Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of "playing games with an
important national security issue by scheduling a quick 'gotcha' vote
without extensive hearings or careful consideration."  He also blamed Lott
for enforcing party discipline to keep Republicans in line against the
treaty in order to score political points against President Clinton.

Isaacs criticized Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms
for remaining locked in a time warp where the Soviet Union colossus
dominates eastern Europe and the Red Army faces NATO forces across Europe.
For two years Helms has refused to hold hearings or schedule a vote in his
committee.

Isaacs reminded Americans of President Eisenhower's wise counsel only half
a century ago: "I am convinced that a cessation of nuclear weapons tests,
if it is to alleviate rather than merely to conceal the threat of nuclear
war, should be undertaken as part of a meaningful program to reduce that
threat."  

Isaacs concluded: "We have encountered setbacks in the past.  The struggle
will continue until we are successful."

				# # #






John Isaacs 
Council for a Livable World  
110 Maryland Avenue, NE - Room 409
Washington, D.C. 20002
(202) 543-4100 x.131
FAX (202) 543-6297