DATE=6/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251233
TITLE=CONGRESS / MISSILE DEFENSE (L)
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S CONGRESS HAS FINALLY SENT PRESIDENT CLINTON A
COPY OF THE MISSILE DEFENSE BILL FOR HIS SIGNATURE. THE
LEGISLATION, PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE MONTHS AGO, CLEARED
CAPITOL HILL EASILY. V-O-A'S PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS SEE THIS BILL AS A VIVID EXAMPLE OF THEIR COMMITMENT
TO NATIONAL SECURITY.
TEXT: USUALLY, WHEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE FINISH WORK ON A BILL,
IT IS SENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH LITTLE CEREMONY.
BUT REPUBLICAN LEADERS SAY PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS LONG NEGLECTED
THE NATION'S DEFENSE. THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION LEFT CAPITOL
HILL WITH A BIG FANFARE.
THEY GATHERED LAWMAKERS ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS TO WATCH AS THE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE SENATE PUT
THEIR SIGNATURES TO THE MEASURE -- THE LAST STEP BEFORE
TRANSMITTAL TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
SPEAKER DENNIS HASTERT SAID THE BILL, WHICH MANDATES CREATION OF
A U-S ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD, IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER IN THE
POST-COLD WAR WORLD.
/// HASTERT ACT ///
WHILE THE SOVIET THREAT IS GONE, NEW THREATS HAVE
ARISEN. INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE LONE SUPERPOWER THREATEN
US WITH NUCLEAR HARM, WE NOW FACE NUCLEAR THREATS FROM
ROGUE NATIONS AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. AND AMERICA
MUST STAND READY TO DEFEND ITSELF.
/// END ACT ///
FOR MANY YEARS, REPUBLICANS LED THE FIGHT FOR AN ANTI-MISSILE
DEFENSE SYSTEM. DEMOCRATS BEGAN TO JOIN THEM IN RECENT MONTHS,
CITING THE 1998 FINDINGS OF A SPECIAL COMMISSION SET UP BY
CONGRESS TO STUDY THE NATURE OF THE NUCLEAR THREAT TO THE UNITED
STATES. THE COMMISSION, LED BY A TEAM OF THE NATION'S TOP
DEFENSE EXPERTS, FOUND THE RISK OF ATTACK IS RISING MUCH FASTER
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
THEIR REPORT HELPED CONVINCE SENATOR JOSEPH LIEBERMAN, A
CONNECTICUT DEMOCRAT, TO BACK THE LEGISLATION..
/// LIEBERMAN ACT ///
I THINK HISTORY WILL LOOK BACK AT THE PASSAGE OF THIS
BILL AND SEE IT AS A TURNING POINT, AS A DEFINING MOMENT
IN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY HISTORY.
/// END ACT ///
THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE MEASURE. THE PROPOSED
DEPLOYMENT HAS ANGERED RUSSIA, WHICH SEES THE CREATION OF A U-S
ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEM AS A VIOLATION OF EXISTING ARMS CONTROL
TREATIES. ON MONDAY, A SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL SAID
WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW HOPE TO WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES AND COME
UP WITH A LIST OF TREATY MODIFICATIONS BY NEXT JUNE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/WTW
29-Jun-99 12:37 PM EDT (1637 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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