May 16, 2008

Congressional Leadership Announces Appointments To Commission On The Prevention Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction Proliferation And Terrorism

Washington, D.C.—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader John Boehner announced today the appointment of commissioners to the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.

The appointees to the commission are:

• Former Senator Bob Graham, Chairman (Chair, Graham Center for Public Service, University of Florida and University of Miami)
• Former Senator Jim Talent, Vice-Chairman (Distinguished Fellow, The Heritage Foundation)
• Former Congressman Timothy J. Roemer (President, Center for National Policy)
• Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman (Principal, The Albright Group LLC)
• Dr. Graham T. Allison (Director, Harvard University Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs)
• Mr. Richard Verma (Partner, Steptoe & Johnson, LLP)
• Mr. Henry Sokolski (Executive Director, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center)
• Mr. Stephen Rademaker (Senior Counsel, BGR Holding, LLC)
• Ms. Robin Cleveland, (Principal, Olivet Consulting, LLC)

The creation of the Commission, which was established by House Resolution 1, implements a key recommendation of the independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission and builds on Democrats and Republicans’ commitment to address the grave threat that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction poses to our country.  The Commission will assess the nation’s current activities, initiatives, and programs aimed at preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism while providing a clear, comprehensive strategy with concrete recommendations to achieve this crucial goal. 

The legislation requires the Commission to issue a report within 180 days and will ensure that stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction will remain a pillar of American foreign policy.

Specific areas the Committee will address include:

• Activities, initiatives, and programs to secure all nuclear weapons-usable material around the world and to significantly accelerate, expand, and strengthen, on an urgent basis, United States and international efforts to prevent, stop, and counter the spread of nuclear weapons capabilities and related equipment, material, and technology to terrorists and states of concern.
• The roles, missions, and structure of all relevant government departments, agencies, and other actors, including the Office of the United States Coordinator for the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism established under subtitle D of P.L. 110-53.
• Interagency coordination.
• United States commitments to international regimes and cooperation with other countries.
• The threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism to the United States and its interests and allies, including the threat posed by black-market networks, and the effectiveness of the responses by the United States and the international community to such threats.
• Follow-on Baker-Cutler Report.—The Commission shall also reassess, and where necessary update and expand on, the conclusions and recommendations of the report titled “A Report Card on the Department of Energy's Nonproliferation Programs with Russia” of January 2001 (also known as the “Baker-Cutler Report'”) and implementation of such recommendations.

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