for more information: Craig Williams
859-986-7565
859-302-1103
for immediate release Wednesday, January
26, 2005
KY AND CO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATIONS
"STEP UP" TO THWART STUDYING TRANSPORTATION OF CHEM WEAPONS
KY Senators McConnell and Bunning co-sponsor
Senate bill banning the study of transportation; KY Representative Chandler
backs House version; other states join
In a strong showing of bi-partisanship, Senators and
Representatives from both parties took bold steps today to derail a study
by the Pentagon on interstate transportation of chemical weapons between storage
locations.
Led by Colorado Senators Allard (R-CO ) and Salazar (D-CO), the bill introduced
today states, "Funds available to the Department of Defense may not be obligated
or expended for any study related to the transportation of chemical munitions
across State boundaries."
In his statement on the Senate floor, Sen. Allard appeared frustrated with
the Pentagon's plans saying, "Nevermind that this option has been studied
at least three times in the past decade. Nevermind that current law
prohibits the transport of chemical munitions across state lines. This study
is unnecessary and waste of taxpayers' hard-earned dollars."
Joining Allard and his Colorado colleague Salazar, were Kentucky Senators
McConnell (R-KY) and Bunning (R-KY) and Alabama Senator Shelby (R-AL) as original
co-sponsors of the bill. Shortly after the bill was introduced, Senator
Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced he planned to co-sponsor also.
In a prepared statement, Sen. McConnell laid it on the line saying,
"Now the Department has suggested it wants to transport the weapons from these
depots through our communities to incineration sites. This will not
happen so long as I am a U.S. Senator."
Sen. Bunning also released a statement saying, "We must do everything in
our power to make sure that these weapons are destroyed in a safe and timely
manner and not allow the Department of Defense to further delay this project
or endanger the population."
On the House side, Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) submitted identical legislation
with Ben Chandler (D-KY) co-sponsoring--other Members are expected to join
as well.
All this comes on the heels of a series of internal documents released over
the last two weeks by the Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG), a Kentucky
based national watchdog group monitoring the U.S. disposal program.
The documents showed that directives had been issued by the Pentagon to initiate
a study of the "relocation of the stockpiles among sites"--something Defense
Department officials just last week assured Senate Members was not practical.
CWWG Director, Craig Williams said, "It's clear that certain officials inside
the Pentagon were attempting to execute this study without informing anyone--citizens
at the storage sites, communities along potential transportation routes, or
even the Congress. Worse yet, when 'called on it' by elected officials, they
denied it was happening. So much for their 'open and transparent' program."
Other documents released by the CWWG show the Pentagon's plans to gut funding
for disposal facilities in CO and KY. To this Sen. McConnell said, "Currently,
the citizens of Kentucky and Colorado are being robbed to pay for the massive
cost overruns at incineration sites throughout the country. After the time
and energy I have expended on ensuring these weapons are disposed of in a
safe and environmentally friendly manner, I am personally insulted by the
Defense Department's efforts to delay destruction and its suggestion of transporting
the weapons elsewhere."
Williams noted that the whole discussion, including today's action, may
well have never occurred had the CWWG not brought the inside information
to light. "I've always believed that the basic tenets of democracy include
citizen involvement via representative government. Both these principles
clearly escape those running this program at Department of Defense. Thankfully
we've helped provide a modicum of accountability surrounding these latest
developments. But who knows what else they're up to?"
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