Victim-Activated Landmine Abolition Act

VICTIM-ACTIVATED LANDMINE ABOLITION ACT -- (House of Representatives - September 28, 2006)

(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, yesterday, Congressman PHIL ENGLISH and I introduced H.R. 6178, the Victim-Activated Landmine Abolition Act.

Our Nation is the global leader in funding for landmine clearance, mine risk education, and mine survivors. The U.S. was the first nation to call for a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel landmines in 1994, and we have not exported them since 1992, produced them since 1997, or use them since 1991.

In Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, victim-activated landmines have killed and maimed U.S. and coalition troops. They indiscriminately threaten lives in more than 80 countries, and they do not distinguish between an enemy combatant and a U.S. soldier, child, farmer, or refugee.

Today, the U.S. has acquired reliable technology that enables all such weapons to be equipped with man-in-the-loop targeting and triggering capabilities.

We no longer need to procure or design landmines that are victim-activated. Let the U.S. set the example for other countries in banning the procurement of victim-activated landmines and weapons. I encourage my colleagues to join me as a cosponsor of H.R. 6178.

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