CWWG

Senate Passes Provision for Chem Weapons Disposal at Blue Grass and Pueblo Army Depots

Chemical Weapons Working Group
128 Main St. Berea KY 40403
859-986-7565  859-986-2695 (F)
www.cwwg.org    craig@cwwg.org
for more information:
Craig Williams:  (859) 986-7565
(859) 302-1103
for immediate release: Tuesday May 10, 2005

SENATE PASSES  PROVISION FOR  CHEM WEAPONS DISPOSAL AT BLUE GRASS AND PUEBLO ARMY DEPOTS

Bill Now Awaits President's Signature
Late this afternoon, the U.S. Senate passed the 2005 Supplemental Spending Bill which includes language introduced by KY Sen. Mitch McConnell and backed by CO Sen. Wayne Allard to ensure adequate funding for the chemical weapons disposal projects in Kentucky and Colorado.

The Senators' provision prohibits funds appropriated to these two sites from being used elsewhere, as has occurred in the past - leaving the destruction of stockpiles in Kentucky and Colorado in doubt.

The Pentagon had recently designated these two sites to a "care-taker" status with no plans to move forward with disposal for at least five years.

After the tireless efforts of Senator McConnell, including gaining approval of his language by the Senate Appropriations Committee; gaining House concurrence; numerous conversations and communications with then Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz; and, strongly worded letters to Undersecretary of Defense Wynne,the Pentagon released over $300 Million to fund the projects on 15 April.

However, the Bill contains additional provisions including:
  • ensuring that the prior-year monies budgeted for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (ACWA) will be used at those two sites;
  • directing that $100 million be obligated against the projects within 120 days; and
  • prohibiting the expenditure of funds to study transporting the weapons across state lines.

"I am pleased that the Senate and House approved the provision I authored for the Blue Grass Army Depot," said Sen. McConnell.  "This is great news for the citizens of Madison County, and I am proud to have led the effort to make it happen."

Sen. Allard, who was a member of the House-Senate conference committee that finalized the bill and ensured that the language stayed in the legislation, commented “We have, in effect, engraved this in stone.  It is my hope that the Pueblo Depot cleanup project will now move forward toward meeting the 2012 Chemical Weapons Convention treaty deadline.”

"We're now awaiting the President's signature," said Craig Williams, Director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group. "Once that occurs we're a significant step closer to seeing these weapons destroyed in a timely manner," he said.

The President is expected to sign the Bill within a few days.

"Senators McConnell and Allard have acted with precision, diligence and persistence in making sure the safety of their constituents comes first," said Williams. "We all owe them a substantial debt of gratitude for their outstanding efforts and leadership on this issue."

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 The Senators' provision is available from the CWWG office upon request.
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