27 January 1999 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [DOCID: f:s70is.txt] 106th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 70 To require the establishment of a Federal task force on Regional Threats to International Security. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 19, 1999 Ms. Snowe introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the establishment of a Federal task force on Regional Threats to International Security. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Prevention and Deterrence of International Conflict Act of 1999 (PREDICT)''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) On August 24, 1997, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff assured Congress in writing that the acquisition of an intercontinental ballistic missile capability by a rogue nation without the detection of the United States intelligence community would be an ``unlikely event''. (2) The United States intelligence community did not detect the August 31, 1998 launching of an intercontinental multistage rocket by the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea. (3) On May 11, 1998 and May 13, 1998, the Government of India broke a 24-year voluntary moratorium by conducting 5 underground nuclear tests. (4) The Secretary of Defense predicted thereafter that these tests by the Government of India could induce other nations to obtain nuclear weapons technologies. (5) On May 28, 1998, the Government of Pakistan announced that for the first time, it had conducted 5 underground nuclear tests and acknowledged ongoing efforts to place nuclear warheads on missiles capable of striking any target in India. (6) 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 representatives of the Government of India of an intent to improve India's nuclear arsenal. (7) Written 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 the capabilities of China to launch missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. (8) 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. (9) A March 11, 1998, report by the National Air Intelligence Center concluded that Chinese strategic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads pose a threat to the United States. SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION OF THE TASK FORCE. (a) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall establish the Task Force on Regional Threats to International Security (in this Act referred to as the ``Task Force''). (b) Composition.--The Task Force shall consist of-- (1) one official of the Department of State, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of State; (2) one official of the Department of Defense, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense; (3) one official of the Department of Commerce, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce; (4) one official each of any appropriate United States agency (as defined in section 551(1) of title 5, United States Code) designated by the President, who shall be appointed by the head of the agency; and (5) one official each of any appropriate agency, entity, or component of the intelligence community (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a)) designated by the President, who shall be appointed by the agency, entity, or component, as the case may be. SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE TASK FORCE. (a) In General.--Under the direction of the President, the Task Force 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 of the United States to promote the market-based development of the countries described in paragraph (1) to reduce incentives for the acquisition or use of such weapons; and (3) a revised and integrated intelligence network that gathers, analyzes, and transmits all vital data to the President in advance of policy decisions related to such weapons. (b) Reports.--Beginning 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a report to Congress on the progress made during the preceding 6 months in carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a). SEC. 5. TERMINATION OF TASK FORCE AUTHORITY. The Task Force shall terminate on October 1, 2001.