October 13, 1999

STATEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE ON SENATE REJECTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY

                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Vice President
______________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                         Contact:
Wednesday, October 13, 1999                   (202) 456-7035

      STATEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE ON SENATE REJECTION OF THE
                       COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY

     In a vote marred by political spite, Senate Republicans today ignored
bipartisan appeals to national security and rejected the Comprehensive Test
Ban Treaty -- a Treaty to ban nuclear weapons testing and help fight the
spread of nuclear weapons around the world.

     As a former member of the Senate, I am deeply disturbed to see former
colleagues rush to embrace partisanship over statesmanship on a matter so
important to safeguarding the national security of the United States.

     The responsibility for this abdication of American leadership rests on
the increasingly political motives of Senate Republicans.  They started a
fire of political partisanship they could not put out -- ultimately leaving
the fate of a crucial international treaty in the hands of those who would
play politics with nuclear weapons.

     The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty has the unanimous support of the
President?s national security team.   It has been endorsed by four former
Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the Carter, Reagan, Bush, and
Clinton Administrations.  It has the overwhelming support of the American
people.   It deserves the fair and thoughtful analysis of the United States
Senate.   It has not yet received it.

     Notwithstanding the Senate?s rush to reject this Treaty, I call on
nations around the world to refrain from nuclear testing, and move forward
in signing and ratifying the Treaty.  I call on the Senate to renounce the
partisan climate that denied Treaty supporters the time and opportunity to
answer the honest disagreements of the Treaty opponents.   And I urge the
Senate to resume debate on this Treaty in an open, honest, and informed
manner -- in a manner that does credit to our democracy.

     The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty would make it harder for other
nations to test nuclear devices, and easier for us to find out about it if
they do.   It is an indispensable tool in our fight to stop the spread of
nuclear weapons around the world.  I support the Treaty wholeheartedly, and
I will continue to work to see it ratified.

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