Senator McConnell Comments On Memo From Under Secretary Of Defense Michael Wynne

Senator McConnell Comments On Memo From Under Secretary Of Defense Michael Wynne

from the Office of Senator Mitch McConnell

*DOD agrees to meet Senator McConnell's demands*

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell made the following comments today in response to a memo from Under Secretary of Defense Michael Wynne that outlines the management of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternative (ACWA) funds. The memo directs that FY'05 funds be released to the ACWA Program Manager and takes the option of transporting the chemical weapons off of the table. These actions are consistent with demands Senator McConnell made in a letter last week to Under Secretary of Defense Wynne.

"It seems that the Department of Defense recognizes the errors of its ways," said McConnell. "As I've said all along, in order for the chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot to be safely destroyed they need the funds to be spent at the facility and not tied up in Washington bureaucracy."

"There is a long history of broken promises and mismanagement, but today's announcement is a step in the right direction," McConnell added. "Unfortunately I have learned through experience that we will need to keep a watchful eye on the program to ensure that the safe disposal of these horrific and deadly weapons becomes a reality."

Senator McConnell has been leading the fight on this issue for the past 20 years, and today he praised community activist, Craig Williams, for his dedication on the issue. "Craig Williams and the Chemical Weapons Working Group are leaders in this fight, and I look forward to continue working with them in our efforts to hold DOD accountable for their actions. Without their grassroots advocacy today's result would not have been possible."

http://mcconnell.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=236594&start=1