News: Will Dole Make a Difference? -- 4/23/97
The Chemical Weapons Convention Web site The Henry L. Stimson Center's Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project The Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute Web site The Chemical Manufacturers Association's News and Issues page
Heritage Foundation policy papers opposing the pact Senate Should Reject the Chemical Weapons Convention -- Phyllis Schlafly Column -- August 1, 1996 Statement of the Cato Institute's Roger Pilon before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Constitution Subcommittee
CQ: Five Amendments To Dominate Debate CQ: Senate Passes Domestic Version of Ban CQ: Chemical Arms Ban's Chances Put at 50-50 in Senate Full text of The Chemical Weapons Convention Full text of the 1925 Geneva Protocol
Senate Vote On Chemical Weapons Treaty Still Unclear -- (4/10/97) Clinton Urges Senate To Act On Chemical Treaty -- (4/04/97) |
Why has it been so difficult to get this treaty through the Senate? Dole's announcement knocked the treaty off stride last year. That, combined with the delaying tactics of Helms, gave treaty opponents time to gather strength. Meanwhile, the Clinton Administration didn't put much emphasis on lining up support for the convention, since passage seemed like a sure thing. It had solid bipartisan credentials, and who could be against getting rid of nerve gas? But the debate has shifted somewhat. Instead of a two-thirds vote needed for treaty passage, the focus is going to be on five binding "understandings" worked out by Senate Republicans that Helms has included in the resolution that would implement the treaty, all of which Clinton calls "killer amendments." The administration and Helms reached agreement on 28 other such understandings, but could not do so on the remaining five. The five amendments would effectively gut the treaty, say pact supporters. They need a simple majority to be stripped from the implementing legislation. (details) |
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