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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.





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