Letter signed by 62 Senators requesting a delay on the CTBT, Cong. Record, Oct. 13, 1999

Letter signed by 62 Senators requesting a delay on consideration of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Congressional Record-106th Congress, p.S12549
October 13, 1999

United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

October 12, 1999

Honorable Trent Lott
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Honorable Tom Daschle
Democratic Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Leaders:

The Senate Leadership has received a letter from President Clinton requesting `that you postpone consideration of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on the Senate Floor.' We write in support of putting off final consideration until the next Congress.

Were the Treaty to be voted on today, Senator Warner and Senator Lugar would be opposed. Senator Moynihan and Senator Biden would be in support. But we all agree on seeking a delay. We believe many colleagues are of a like view, irrespective of how they would vote at this point.

We recognize that the Nation's best interests, the Nation's vital business, is and must always be the first concern of the Presidency and the Congress.

But we cannot foresee at this time an international crisis of the magnitude, that would persuade the Senate to revisit a decision made now to put off a final consideration of the Treaty until the 107th Congress.

However, we recognize that throughout history the Senate has had the power, the duty to reconsider prior decisions.

Therefore, if Leadership takes under consideration a joint initiative to implement the President's request--and our request--for a delay, then we commit our support for our Leaders taking this statesmanlike initiative.

[signed,]

REPUBLICANS
Warner, Lugar, Roth, Domenici, Hagel, Gordon Smith, Collins, McCain, Snowe, Sessions, Stevens, Chafee, Brownback, Bennett, Jeffords, Grassley, DeWine, Specter, Hatch, Voinovich, Gorton, Burns, Gregg, Santorum.

DEMOCRATS
Moynihan, Biden, Lieberman, Levin, Feingold, Kohl, Boxer, Cleland, Dodd, Wyden, Rockefeller, Bingaman, Inouye, Baucus, Hollings, Kennedy, Harry Reid, Robb, Jack Reed, Mikulski, Torricelli, Feinstein, Schumer, Breaux, Bob Kerrey, Evan Bayh, John Kerry, Landrieu, Murray, Tim Johnson, Byrd, Lautenberg, Harkin, Durbin, Leahy, Wellstone, Akaka, Edwards.