-Caveat Lector- from: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/April1999/042899/nuclearlabs042899.htm <A HREF="http://www.capitolhillblue.com/April1999/042899/nuclearlabs042899.htm">C ongress moves to cut off access to national la </A> ----- Congress moves to cut off Chinese access to U.S. nuclear labs In reaction to widespread spying, legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and House to stop visits to U.S. nuclear labs by scientists from Communist China and other "sensitive" countries. ``This ongoing threat to our national security requires swift and decisive action,'' Sen. Richard Shelby, who heads the committee, said in a statement. ``I have introduced legislation today to suspend all visits to American nuclear research laboratories by scientists from sensitive countries,'' the Alabama Republican said. ``Sensitive countries,'' according to Shelby, are ones considered dangerous to the United States and determined to be interested in acquiring American nuclear weapon secrets. The legislation is part of the fallout from revelations China obtained U.S. secrets on nuclear weapons from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The CIA coordinated an investigation into the impact of the spying on China's military capabilities and concluded the stolen information was likely to show up in Chinese weapons over the next several years. China has steadfastly denied the spying allegations, saying it has its own, very capable scientists and does not need to steal information from the United States. The CIA-led investigation found that China had gathered information not just through espionage but also from contact with scientists from the United States and other countries and by public avenues such as conferences and publications. The CIA also found the Clinton White House assisted the Chinese efforts by approving transfer of sensitive technology to the country over the objections of intelligence experts. Those transfers often benefitted campaign contributors to Clinton's Presidential campaign funds. Shelby's legislation would prohibit all visits by scientists from sensitive countries to U.S. nuclear research laboratories overseen by the Energy Department. Any exceptions to the moratorium would require personal certification from the energy secretary that the foreign scientist's visit was necessary to U.S. national security. A General Accounting Office analysis of foreign visitors to U.S. nuclear labs from 1994 to 1996 said the Energy Department's list of sensitive countries included China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan and several countries formerly part of the Soviet Union. The China allegations led the Republican-controlled Congress to accuse the Democratic administration of being too slow to react to the issue. The Energy Department has since instituted measures at the labs to improve security. ``Although the administration has begun to address what we have found to be an institutional disregard for security at our national labs, the counterintelligence measures initiated by (Energy) Secretary Bill Richardson will require several years to be fully implemented,'' Shelby said. Shelby's bill does not specify how the moratorium would end, his spokeswoman said. Another law would therefore be required to repeal the suspension of scientists' visits. Similar legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 25 by Rep. Jim Ryun, a Kansas Republican, and Rep. Gene Taylor, a Mississippi Democrat, both members of the House National Security Committee. For the legislation to become law, the House and Senate must approve exactly the same version, which must then be signed by the president. Ryun said that there was no way of judging at this point whether the bill would become law this year but that momentum was gathering behind it. ``There is great support and recognition of the seriousness of the problem and that we need to protect our country's vital national security interest,'' he said. Home Capitol Hill Blue is published daily on the web. Some material is �The Associated Press and � Reuters NewMedia. ------ Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, Omnia Bona Bonis, All My Relations. Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End Kris DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. 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