Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Act of 2007

The possession by hostile states or terrorist groups of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction, or related materials or means of delivery, represents the greatest threat to the national security of the United States in the 21st century.

It is the highest priority of the United States to protect its territory, people, armed forces, allies, and friends from attacks by dangerous regimes or terrorist groups using weapons of mass destruction or related materials or means of delivery.

It is the policy of the United States to ensure and strengthen verification and compliance with the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force March 5, 1970 (commonly known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, with Annexes, done at Paris January 13, 1993, and entered into force April 29, 1997 (commonly known as the Chemical Weapons Convention), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, done at Washington, London, and Moscow April 10, 1972, and entered into force March 26, 1975 (commonly known as the Biological Weapons Convention), the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the commitments and control lists of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Australia Group (AG), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (WA).

The national security interests of the United States have been well-served by the enactment of the Soviet Nuclear Threat Reduction Act of 1991 (title II of Public Law 102–228; 22 U.S.C. 2551 note), (commonly known as the Nunn-Lugar Act), its successor law, the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act of 1993 (title XII of Public Law 103–160; 22 U.S.C. 5951 note), and the Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996 (title XIV of Public Law 104–201; 50 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) (commonly known as the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Act).

The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program has, as of January 2007—

On February 11, 2004, President George W. Bush called for the expansion of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, stating: I propose to expand our efforts to keep weapons from the Cold War and other dangerous materials out of the wrong hands. In 1991, Congress passed the Nunn-Lugar legislation. Senator Lugar had a clear vision, along with Senator Nunn, about what to do with the old Soviet Union. Under this program, we’re helping former Soviet states find productive employment for former weapons scientists. We’re dismantling, destroying, and securing weapons and materials left over from the Soviet WMD arsenal. We have more work to do there.

all United States capabilities must be utilized to prevent acts of catastrophic terrorism using weapons of mass destruction or related materials or means of delivery;

in order to prevent acts of catastrophic terrorism using weapons of mass destruction or related materials or means of delivery, the United States must pursue a strategy making full and effective use of multilateral and bilateral agreements, missile defense, arms control, threat reduction assistance, interdiction efforts, export controls, and United States proliferation sanctions;

the United States must not allow the world’s most dangerous weapons to fall into the hands of dangerous regimes and terrorist groups;

the United States must hold nations accountable for all violations of international nonproliferation treaties, norms, and standards of conduct, and to the extent that it is consistent with United States law and policy, provide assistance to ensure that such treaties, norms, and standards of conduct are upheld rather than violated; and

the President must be provided the authority to use Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction funds in a manner consistent with the high value Congress and the President have placed on Cooperative Threat Reduction programs to reduce the threat posed to the national security of the United States and international peace and security by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or related materials or means of delivery.