[Page: S6791]

(Ordered to lie on the table.)

Ms. SNOWE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill, S. 2057, supra; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert:

SEC. . FEDERAL TASK FORCE ON REGIONAL THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:

(1) On May 11, 1998 and May 13, 1998, the Government of India broke a 24-year voluntary moratorium by conducting five underground nuclear tests.

(2) The Secretary of Defense predicted thereafter that these tests by the Government of India could induce other nations to obtain nuclear weapons technologies.

(3) On May 28, 1998, the Government of Pakistan announced that for the first time, it had conducted five underground nuclear tests and acknowledged ongoing efforts to place nuclear warheads on missiles capable of striking any target in India.

(4) The Director of Central Intelligence has accepted the June 2, 1998 findings of an independent investigation revealing that the Central Intelligence Agency lacked adequate analytical capabilities to detect the explosions in India despite satellite-generated evidence to the contrary and repeated declarations by Indian government representatives of an intent to improve the country's nuclear arsenal.

(5) 1997 assessments by the United States Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency conflicted on the issue of whether the May 10, 1996 transmission to the Government of China of a private industry report exploring the potential causes of an earlier rocket crash contained information that may advance Chinese nuclear launch capabilities.

(6) The president did not receive or review the Air Force assessment prior to his February 18, 1998 approval of a license for the export of a commercial satellite to China.

(7) A March 11, 1998 report by the National Air Intelligence Center concluded that Chinese strategic missiles with nuclear warheads pose a threat to the United States.

(b) Creation of the Federal Task Force on Regional Threats to International Security.

The president shall create from among all appropriate federal agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce, as well as military and foreign intelligence organizations, a standing Task Force on Regional Threats to International Security. The Task Force, with the approval of the president, shall develop and execute plans, in cooperation with foreign allied governments when appropriate, for;

(1) the active mediation of the United States to foster negotiations between or among foreign governments engaged in civil, ethnic, or geographic conflicts that increase the risk of the acquisition, testing, or the deployment of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

(2) trade, economic reform, and investment programs to promote the market-based development of nations to reduce incentives for the pursuit or use of such weapons.

(3) a revised and integrated intelligence network that gathers, analyzes, and transmit all vital data to the president in advance of policy decisions related to such weapons.

(c) Reporting Requirements.--The Task Force shall issue bi-annual reports to Congress on the progress made in executing its responsibilities pursuant to Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of Section (b).

(d) Effective Date of the Task Force.--The president must establish the Task Force no later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.

(e) Renewal of Task Force Authority.--Unless extended by an act of Congress or an executive order of the president, the statutory authority of the Task Force shall expire on October 1, 2000.

END