H.R. 4

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 2:07 PM by lerror. --> 1

RESOLUTION URGING RATIFICATION OF
2 THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN
3 TREATY
4 2010 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Jennifer M. Seelig
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution of the House of Representatives requests that the United States Senate
11 provide its advice and consent for ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . strongly urges the President of the United States to submit the Comprehensive Test
15 Ban Treaty to the United States Senate; and
16 . strongly urges the United States Senate to promptly give its advice and consent for
17 ratification of the Treaty.
18 Special Clauses:
19 None
20
21 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
22 WHEREAS, a global halt to nuclear weapons testing has been a bipartisan objective of
23 the United States since the late 1950s when President Dwight D. Eisenhower sought a
24 comprehensive nuclear test ban;
25 WHEREAS, the United States has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since the
26 United States suspended testing and joined with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in a
27 nuclear weapons testing moratorium in September 1992;

28 WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for signature on
29 September 24, 1996, and President Bill Clinton was the first head of state to sign the Treaty;
30 WHEREAS, no nuclear tests have been conducted since that time by the United States,
31 Russia, or China;
32 WHEREAS, as of June 2009, 180 states have signed the CTBT and 148 have ratified it;
33 WHEREAS, ratification of the CTBT would signal a strong commitment by the United
34 States to fulfill its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, prompt ratification
35 by other states which is necessary for the Treaty to enter into force, reinforce the global taboo
36 against nuclear weapons testing, and set an example for the rest of the world;
37 WHEREAS, a global verifiable ban on nuclear weapons testing would prevent potential
38 nuclear powers from proof testing smaller nuclear bombs that can be delivered on ballistic
39 missiles;
40 WHEREAS, United States ratification of the CTBT would be a significant step towards
41 preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, reducing nuclear weapons arsenals worldwide, and
42 building confidence among nations that abolition of nuclear weapons can someday be
43 achieved;
44 WHEREAS, after 1,030 nuclear test explosions, further nuclear weapons testing is not
45 necessary to maintain the integrity, effectiveness, and deterrence value of the existing United
46 States nuclear weapons stockpile, nor is there any new military requirement for new types of
47 United States nuclear warheads;
48 WHEREAS, the United States government acknowledges that 433 of 824 United States
49 underground tests have vented radiation to the atmosphere;
50 WHEREAS, as part of its recognition of the 50th anniversary of nuclear weapons
51 testing at the Nevada Test Site, in the 2001 General Session, the 54th Legislature of the state of
52 Utah expressed, "the fervent desire and commitment to assure that such a legacy will never be
53 repeated";
54 WHEREAS, resumption of United States nuclear weapons testing would place persons
55 downwind of the Nevada test location at risk of exposure to radioactive emissions from
56 possible venting;
57 WHEREAS, citizens of Utah living downwind of the Nevada Test Site have already
58 suffered significant health effects as a result of nuclear weapons testing;

59 WHEREAS, in the best interests of their children and grandchildren, Utah's remaining
60 "downwinders" continue to fight the resumption of any nuclear weapons testing;
61 WHEREAS, past nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site has devastated the
62 health and livelihoods of thousands of Utahns;
63 WHEREAS, in 2005, the 58th Legislature of the state of Utah voted in support of a
64 Concurrent Resolution Opposing Nuclear Testing, articulating that, "The state of Utah has an
65 obligation to its citizens, especially those who have suffered so much, to do all in its power to
66 ensure that the lingering wounds from nuclear testing are not reopened to afflict both current
67 and future generations";
68 WHEREAS, the Legislature of the state of Utah supports a strong military defense, but
69 atomic weapons tests are not a necessary component of that defense;
70 WHEREAS, United States' citizens must not be subjected to the hazards of future
71 nuclear weapons tests;
71a H. WHEREAS, the CTBT Organization effectively monitors compliance with the CTBT
71b through an International Monitoring System, consisting of 337 stations using state-of-the-art
71c seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide technologies and capable of detecting and
71d identifying a nuclear weapons test explosion anywhere in the world within hours: .H
72 WHEREAS, the CTBT is effectively verifiable and would improve the United States'
73 ability to detect, deter, and respond to potential surreptitious nuclear weapons testing by other
74 nations;
74a H. WHEREAS, Article 9 of the CTBT permits withdrawal by the United States in
74b case extraordinary future developments, including the need to respond to a violation by
74c another nation, were to jeopardize our supreme national interests;
74d WHEREAS, independent expert assessments commissioned by the National Nuclear
74e Security Administration have concluded that measures under the Stockpile Stewardship
74f Program and Life Extension Program can support certification of today's nuclear warheads as
74g safe, secure, and reliable for decades without the need to resort to underground nuclear
74h weapons testing; .H and
75 WHEREAS, the CTBT would increase international safety and security and is in the
76 best interests of Utah, the United States, and the world:
77 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
78 state of Utah strongly urges the President of the United States to submit the Comprehensive
79 Test Ban Treaty to the United States Senate.
80 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the state of Utah
81 strongly urges the United States Senate to promptly give its advice and consent for ratification
82 of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
83 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of

84 the United States, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and to Utah Senators Orrin
85 Hatch and Bob Bennett.

Legislative Review Note
as of 1-28-10 9:30 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel