Nuclear junkies: Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3 - forever

Last year Congress attempted to end nuclear testing by incorporating a comprehensive test ban (CTB) amendment into the FY 1993 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. Although President Bush opposed the ban, he signed the bill because it included funding for projects he felt vital to his reelection. This article outlines the requirements of the test-ban amendment. One requirement of the amendment was that before any testing could be resumed, the president had to submit a report to Congress explaining the reasons for the tests he proposed and outlining his strategy for a CTB. As of this writing, the Clinton administration has not yet said what its nuclear testing policy will be. The main options are clear: move directly to a comprehensive test ban or proceed with tests permitted by the 1992 law and see Russia, France, and Britain resume testing as well. Recent proposals and statements of the Clinton administration pertaining to nuclear testing are reviewed