U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release June 16, 2006		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-455-7600 Andrew Nannis – Press Secretary 202-224-5852
Sen. Salazar’s Amendment to Prioritize Pueblo Chemical Clean-Up Accepted by Senate WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar’s amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill stressing the importance of safely destroying the chemical weapons housed at Pueblo Chemical Depot was accepted late yesterday. “My amendment will provide a strong signal to the Secretary of Defense that the safe and responsible destruction of the chemical weapons housed at Pueblo Chemical Depot is a priority,” Salazar said. “The Senate will not tolerate further delays in funding of schedules on this matter – the people of Pueblo deserve no less.” The amendment states that: The United States is committed to trying to meet the deadline and to try to get as close as possible to the deadline date of April 29, 2012 for the destruction of all chemical weapons stockpiles in the U.S.; The Secretary of Defense should prepare a comprehensive schedule for safely destroying these weapons; and The Secretary of Defense should make every effort to fund the program to get as close to the deadline as possible. Earlier this year, Senator Salazar urged both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund the full $41 million in construction funds at Pueblo Chemical Depot for Fiscal Year 2007. The Senate Armed Services Committee has authorized full funding for the project, setting the stage for full funding in the Defense Appropriations Bill. The amendment accepted yesterday would also impact chemical weapons stores at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. # # #