Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: Pro and Con (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
June 28, 2005 |
| Report Number |
RS20351 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jonathan Medalia, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) would ban all nuclear explosions. President
Clinton
signed it in 1996 and transmitted it to the Senate in 1997. The Senate rejected it in 1999. To enter
into force, 44 named nations, including the United States, must ratify the treaty. The Bush
Administration opposes ratification but has maintained a moratorium on nuclear testing begun in
1992. This report presents pros and cons of key arguments: the treaty's implications for nuclear
nonproliferation, for maintaining and developing nuclear weapons, for the value of nuclear weapons,
and for maintaining U.S. nuclear advantage; monitoring issues; and potential consequences of
resuming testing. This report will be updated periodically. See also CRS Issue Brief IB92099,
Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and CRS Report 97-1007 F,
Nuclear Testing
and Comprehensive Test Ban: Chronology Starting September 1992.
