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House Armed Services Committee Holds Hearings on Chem Weapons Disposal Program

Chemical Weapons Working Group
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Craig Williams:  (859) 986-7565
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for immediate release: Wednesday April 6, 2005

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARINGS ON
CHEMICAL WEAPONS DISPOSAL PROGRAM

Congressional Members Question Pentagon Officials on: Funding Cuts, Transportation, Treaty Breach, Storage Risks and Other Related Issues
At hearings held today on Capital Hill, U.S. Representatives on the House Armed Services Committee [Sub-Committee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threat and Capabilities] questioned Army and Pentagon officials on the nation's efforts to destroy America's Chemical Weapons.

Although not members of the Committee, Representatives from Colorado and Kentucky were invited to participate because large quantities of chemical weapons are stored in their Districts.  Congressmen John Salazar (D-CO) and Ben Chandler (D-KY) raised serious questions concerning recent Pentagon directives that cut funding for CO and KY disposal programs and extends the disposal schedule well past the 2012 Treaty deadline as agreed to by the U.S.

The latest Pentagon schedule shows destruction not being completed until 2018 in Kentucky and 2019 in Colorado. When asked about this by Mr. Chandler, the Pentagon's Dale Klein gave a puzzling response.  He said, "The DoD timeline you are referring to is accurate, but incorrect."  Mr. Pat Wakefield, Klein's subordinate, in an attempt to clarify his response, said that the schedule is based on a budget process and "it's up to the leadership as to what happens with the budget."  He then said, "We expect that schedule to change," but he gave no specifics.

The Pentagon has defended the postponement based on cost increases for neutralization plants at the two sites. However, according to Craig Williams, of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, "Compared to the sites using incineration, the cost increases in CO and KY are relatively small and should not slow down destruction projects at either site."

Rep. Chandler cited 20 years of government risk analyses which all conclude that continuing to store weapons presents the greatest danger to stockpile communities. He also referenced a 2002 classified Army report which concludes that Kentucky's stockpile has the highest risk of a terrorist attack beginning in 2007.  He then asked Mr. Klein, who is the Pentagon official in charge of weapons disposal,  "How do I, or better yet, how would you, explain to my constituents that such established risks - both for storage and terrorism - take a back seat to other defense funding priorities?"  Klein responded vaguely, "We realize this is important. We're considering a wide range of options."

Regarding a current study on interstate transportation of such weapons Rep. Salazar said, "I believe proposals like these would present new and dangerous threats to the nation's homeland security."

Concerning the funding cuts, Williams said, "The Pentagon's decision to force communities to 'baby-sit' these weapons of mass destruction for another decade is misguided and dangerous. Pentagon officials continue to invent bogus excuses for underfunding the CO and KY disposal projects while they ignore the real risks they are creating by their unprincipled cost cutting."

Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) questioned the viability and safety of the Army's plans to ship byproducts from VX nerve agent neutralization in Indiana to a DuPont treatment facility in New Jersey.  Referencing a report released today from the Centers for Disease Control and EPA, which noted that trace levels of VX could still be contained in the shipments, Andrews said, "I believe this could and should put an end to this idea."

Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) reflected his frustration with the Pentagon's management saying, "The people of Colorado are tired of the fits and starts associated with this program. If your intention is to ship these weapons to Utah - just tell us!"

Williams commented, "I don't think the people in charge at the Pentagon really know what their intentions are other then to try and cut costs no matter how outlandish their ideas. And even if they do know, its clear they are not interested in sharing them with the American people or even the U.S. Congress. They've refined equivocation and double talk to an art." 
 
The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to hold hearings on the chemical weapons disposal program on Monday, 11 April.
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