1980 Scorecard Vote
The vote is on the Bingham Resolution 367, to disapprove the shipping of enriched nuclear fuel to India. Bingham said that President Carter should not be allowed to violate the clear intent of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Act, which forbids the selling of nuclear material to any nation which violates international safeguards. India had already used earlier shipments of nuclear fuel to set off a nuclear bomb, and is building several nuclear facilities that are not under safeguards. Therefore the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rejected an application to send fuel to India. President Carter overturned the decision, saying that the US needed to prove it was a reliable nuclear supplier. Such a Presidential decision can itself be overturned by Congress. This was the first real test of the Act. To allow a notorious violator to receive nuclear fuel would a message to other nations that the U.S. is not really serious about curbing the spread of nuclear weapons. Adopted 298-97. September 18, 1980. YES is the correct vote.
pro-environment position