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Appendix 9 (to Subcritical Nuclear Testing by the U.S.)

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(Congresspersons Cynthia McKinney and Ronald Dellums were joined by 42 other House Representatives in this letter sent to President Clinton on June 20, 1997:)

Dear President Clinton:

We are extremely concerned that the Department of Energy (DOE) again plans to conduct underground subcritical nuclear weapons experiments at the Nevada Test Site. These experiments could severely damage global entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which you worked so hard to achieve.

The DOE states that the proposed experiments are necessary to maintain a reliable nuclear stockpile. However, there is no evidence to date to suggest that potential problems such as plutonium aging have degraded the performance of the weapons designs in the active U.S. arsenal. Indeed, a 1997 JASON review states that "there is no claim that the data from these experiments are needed immediately as part of the Science Based Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program in order to retain confidence in the reliability and performance of the U.S. stockpile..."

The DOE has never conducted an independent technical review of the utility of the subcritical experiments, their timing or location, or their cost effectiveness; neither has it or other agencies conducted a formal evaluation of the nuclear arms control and non-proliferation impacts of conducting such activities. At a minimum, therefore, we believe that these experiments should not be conducted at this time.

The fact that these subcritical experiments would be conducted 900 feet underground — a depth sufficient to contain nuclear explosions with large yields — sets a precedent for conducting underground nuclear tests that a test ban treaty violator would find useful. Because the CTBT is not yet ratified, there are no existing verification standards nor methods by which to determine whether a nuclear weapons experiment violates the CTBT or not. The U.S. is unwisely creating a testing norm under which other nations could justify conducting similar underground nuclear weapons experiments at their test sites. An even more dangerous consequence is that countries with nuclear capability, but lacking the sophisticated testing technology of the declared nuclear weapons states, could be provoked to resume full-scale underground testing.

Mr. President, your admirable promotion of non-proliferation and your vision of a nuclear weapon-free 21st century is put at risk by a U.S. commitment to subcritical nuclear experiments.

We urge you to cancel these subcritical experiments. By establishing a prohibition on nuclear testing of any kind under the CTBT, the United States could set a global standard that would serve to promote treaty ratification, rather than undermine it, thereby building global security.

Sincerely,

Rep. Cynthia McKinney

Rep. Ronald Dellums

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