Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 99 Part 1.djvu/308

 99 STAT. 286

PUBLIC LAW 99-85—AUG. 8, 1985 Public Law 99-85 99th Congress Joint Resolution

Aug. 8, 1985 [S.J. Res. 108]

96 Stat. 756.

10 USC 133 note.

Authorizing the Secretary of Defense to provide to the Soviet Union, on a reimbursable basis, equipment and services necessary for an improved United States/Soviet Direct Communication Link for crisis control.

Whereas section 1123(a) of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1983 (Public Law 97-252), directed the Secretary of Defense "to conduct a full and complete study and evaluation of possible initiatives for improving the containment and control of the use of nuclear weapons, particularly during crises"; Whereas the Congress directed that the same study should address several specific measures for building confidence between the United States and the Soviet Union, including an improved Direct Communications Link for crisis control; Whereas the Secretary of Defense responded to that congressional mandate with a report entitled "Report to the Congress on Direct Communications Links and Other Measures to Enhance Stability" in which the Secretary proposed several improvements to existing United States-Soviet mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of crises, including the addition of a facsimile capability to the United States/Soviet Union Direct Communications Link; Whereas the President of the United States presented the recommendations of the Secretary of Defense to the Government of the Soviet Union in May 1983; Whereas the United States and the Soviet Union commenced negotiations on bilateral communications improvements in August 1983, and on July 17, 1984, concluded the Exchange of Notes Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Concerning the Direct Communications Link Upgrade in which the two governments agreed to add a facsimile capability to the Direct Communications Link; Whereas the Congress endorses that agreement and remains committed to all possible measures to facilitate the resolution of international crises and to limit the danger of conflict; Whereas the Secretary of Defense is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and operation of the Direct Communications Link equipment for the United States; and Whereas the Exchange of Notes Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Concerning the Direct Communications Link Upgrade provides that the United States Government will provide to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, at cost, the equipment and services necessary for the Soviet Union part of the improved Direct Communications Link: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That the Secretary of Defense may provide to the Soviet Union, as provided in the Exchange of Notes Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Ojncerning the Direct Commu-

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