Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 2.djvu/1035

 PUBLIC LAW 100-456—SEPT. 29, 1988

102 STAT. 2039

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The heading for such chapter is amended to read as follows:

"CHAPTER 6—LEASES OF DEFENSE ARTICLES AND LOAN AUTHORITY FOR COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES". SEC. 1004. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NEED FOR MODERNIZATION OF THEATER NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES OF NATO

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: (1) The security of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance will continue for the foreseeable future to rely on a modern and credible nuclear deterrent. (2) NATO should make every effort to achieve the goal of raising the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict in Europe. (3) While recognizing that there is a critical need for improvements in conventional forces, Congress also recognizes that the United States will have to devote defense resources in the future to the continuing modernization of the theater nuclear capabilities of NATO. (4) The modernization of the theater nuclear capabilities of NATO is a continuing process and stems from the 1983 Montebello decision by NATO to reduce the stockpile of nuclear weapons in Europe while taking steps to ensure that the remaining nuclear weapons of the alliance are responsive, survivable, and effective. (5) Programs to modernize theater nuclear forces, which had a high priority for NATO before the ratification of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, are at least as important following the ratification of that treaty in May 1988. (6) The NATO Nuclear Planning Group recently reaffirmed its endorsement of development by the United States of a new missile for delivery of theater nuclear weapons as a follow-on to the current Lance missile, with a view toward an eventual decision on deployment of such a follow-on missile. (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—In light of the findings in subsection (a),

it is the sense of Congress that— (1) modernization of the theater nuclear capabilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is essentisd to the deterrence strategy of the NATO alliance, particularly in light of the requirements of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty for the destruction of intermediate-range nuclear weapons; (2) continued modernization by the United States of theater nuclear capabilities should be undertaken in close consultation with other NATO member nations; and (3) the United States should proceed with ongoing activities to meet the identified requirement of the NATO alliance for development of a new missile for delivery of theater nuclear weapons as a follow-on to the Lance missile. SEC. 1005. REPORT ON NATO DEFENSE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 1990

(a) REPORT.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report setting forth in detail the programs of the Department of Defense in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

22 USC 1928 note.

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