Obama certifies that funds for Palestinians are in U.S. interest

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State Department: Iran should listen to its own people

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following are excerpts from State Department spokesman Ian Kelly's news conference on Thursday on issus relating to the Middle East.

QUESTION: Question on Palestinian refugees: Can you confirm the reports that the United States is accepting over a thousand Palestinian refugees from Iraq this fall? And if that’s the case, I’m wondering if you can give some additional information on that decision.

MR. KELLY: I think I’m going to have to take that question {Seek an answer and get back to the reporter}. So let me take the question and we’ll get you an answer.

**

QUESTION: Do you have any comment on the latest demonstrations in Tehran and the Iranian authorities breaking them up, I believe, by using – by firing into the air? It’s not clear to me whether tear – yeah, we have one report saying that tear gas was used.

MR. KELLY: Yeah. I mean, right before I came down here I saw the images on television. I don’t have a specific reaction to those events except to say that we have – we’ve said all along that we think that Iran has to respect the political will of its people. And we would urge any government not to use undue force on peaceful demonstrators. And we – of course, as the Secretary has said many times and the President as well, that the right of the people to express themselves and the right of free association is a bedrock principle that we will always stand by. And we just hope that Iran will listen to its own people.

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Hodes would eliminate federal agricultural promotion funds

WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)--- Congressman Paul Hodes introduced an amendment to the fiscal year 2010 House Agriculture Appropriations bill that would eliminate $200 million to the Market Access Program. This program is intended to help U.S. private companies and trade organizations finance promoational activities for U.S. agricultural products overseas.

"New Hampshire taxpayers should not have to pay for companies and trade associations to promote their products," Congressman Paul Hodes said. "It is wasteful spending to have taxpayers subsidize big organizations and corporations. In these difficult economic times, it is time to eliminate wasteful, unnecessary programs like this one."

Some of the organizations that receive funding for this program including funding from fiscal year 2008: American Sheep Industry Association ($333,074); American Soybean Association ($4,443,480); California Asparagus Commission ($232,103); California Prune Board ($3,103,144); National Sunflower Association ($1,226,303); Pet Food Institute ($1,434,572); Sunkist Growers, Inc. ($4,202,886); and Welch's Food ($967,687)

Preceding provided by Congressman Hodes

Cyber-Referrals

Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, says it's true there are no more Jewish Republicans in the U.S. Senate (and only one in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eric Cantor of Virginia) but there are plenty of up-and-coming Republicans in the various states, including Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner of California. Here is his interview with New York Jewish Week

State Dept. describes U.S.-U.A.E. nuclear energy agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following is a statement made July 8 by Ellen Tauscher, the State Department's undersecretary for arms control and international security, to the House Foreign Affairs Committee concerning an agreement between the United States and the United Arab Emirates for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member:

Thank you for this opportunity to testify today before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in support of the proposed U.S.-UAE Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation, which President Obama submitted to the Congress on May 21 for review pursuant to section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. This important Agreement reinforces a particularly strong and mutually beneficial political, security, and economic bilateral relationship. The UAE is a valued partner on many issues, cooperating with us in such areas as support for the Palestinian Authority, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran.

In connection with approving the proposed Agreement and authorizing its execution, the President made the determination required by section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act that performance of the proposed Agreement will promote, and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and security.

My purpose today is to discuss with the Committee the principal factors that the President considered before making his statutory determination, and to urge Congress to give the proposed Agreement favorable consideration.

A Ground-breaking Achievement

Let me say at the outset that the Administration recognizes the nonproliferation value of this unique Agreement. The UAE has made a principled decision that it will abide by the highest nonproliferation standards. The U.S.-UAE 123 Agreement recognizes these commitments and achievements of the government of the United Arab Emirates and provides the basis to expand now our cooperation into areas of peaceful nuclear energy.

Consistent with the UAE’s commitments to the highest nonproliferation standards, the proposed Agreement contains some unprecedented features for agreements of this type. For the first time in an agreement of this type, the UAE has voluntarily agreed to forgo enrichment and reprocessing. For the first time in a U.S. agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation, the proposed Agreement provides that prior to U.S. licensing of exports of nuclear material, equipment, components, or technology pursuant to the Agreement, the UAE shall bring into force the Additional Protocol to its safeguards agreement with the IAEA. The Agreement also allows for exceptional circumstances, under which the United States may remove special fissionable material subject to the Agreement from the UAE either to the United States or to a third country if exceptional circumstances of concern from a nonproliferation standpoint so require.

The proposed Agreement has a term of 30 years and permits the transfer of nuclear material, equipment (including reactors), and components for civil nuclear research and civil nuclear power production subject to subsequent individual export licensing. It does not permit transfers of Restricted Data, sensitive nuclear technology, sensitive nuclear facilities, or major critical components of such facilities. It limits the special fissionable material that may be transferred under the Agreement to low enriched uranium except for small amounts of special fissionable material for use as samples, standards, detectors, targets or other purposes agreed by the Parties. If the Agreement is terminated, key nonproliferation conditions and controls will continue with respect to material, equipment, and components subject to the Agreement.

In sum, the robust nonproliferation features of the UAE 123 Agreement is a significant achievement and an example of a country that has concluded that indigenous fuel cycle capabilities are not needed to fully enjoy the benefits of civil nuclear energy.

Mr. Chairman, please let me expand on some of the key points I have just made.:

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UAE Federal Law 13 issued in 2007 provides a strong basis on which to build an effective export control system for commodities that are subject to import and export control procedures.

Once the proposed Agreement enters into force, it will establish the necessary legal framework for the United States and the UAE to engage in subsequent, individually-authorized forms of cooperation in the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes to assist the UAE in meeting its growing energy demand. In addition to being indicative of our strong partnership with the UAE, the proposed Agreement is a tangible expression of the United States’ desire to cooperate with states in the Middle East, and elsewhere, that want to develop peaceful nuclear power in a manner consistent with the highest nonproliferation, safety and security standards.

The UAE’s Strong Nonproliferation Credentials

I have spoken of the UAE’s commitment to the highest nonproliferation standards. I shall summarize the UAE’s strong nonproliferation credentials in a checklist form:

The UAE acceded to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) on September 26, 1995 and its IAEA Safeguards Agreement entered into force on October 9, 2003. It has signed the Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA and is committed to bringing it into force.

The UAE ratified the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material on November 15, 2003 and has committed to concluding the 2005 Amendment strengthening the Convention.

It acceded to the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism on January 10, 2008.

The UAE is implementing UNSC 1540 – a resolution that, among other things, requires UN Member States to take and enforce effective measures to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials.

The UAE actively participates in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the Proliferation Security Initiative, and the Container Security Initiative.

The UAE is a key counterterrorism partner and actively works to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

The UAE has stated it intends to implement export and import control rules for nuclear and nuclear-related equipment and technology in strict accordance with the Nuclear Suppliers Group Guidelines for nuclear transfers. This will enhance the UAE’s export control system and assist its government in preventing illicit transshipments of sensitive nuclear technologies through the UAE.

In March 2008, the United Arab Emirates published its policy for the development of nuclear energy in a report entitled, “Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy.” In it, the UAE committed itself inter alia to “pursuing the highest standards of nonproliferation” and “the highest standards of safety and security.” In signing this Agreement, the UAE has demonstrated its commitment to develop civil nuclear energy in a responsible way, in full conformity with its nonproliferation commitments and obligations. U.S. cooperation with the UAE will also serve as a distinct counterpoint to those countries that have chosen a different path, in particular Iran.

The UAE’s expressed commitment not to pursue enrichment and reprocessing capabilities is a marked contrast to Iran, which continues to defy its international obligations and is continuing to develop technical capabilities that could be applied to nuclear weapons development. .

The UAE recognizes the value of international cooperation for establishing a nuclear power program as well as the need to develop domestic human resources. The UAE is expected to hire a foreign consortium to construct, operate and perhaps partially own its first nuclear power plants while local expertise is developed. U.S. industry is poised to assist with the development of a nuclear power program in the UAE, and the Agreement for Cooperation will facilitate its involvement. U.S. technology in this area is leading-edge, and the United States anticipates that the UAE will give it strong consideration as the UAE moves forward in implementing its plans.

U.S. Prior Approval for Retransfers

The Agreed Minute to the proposed Agreement provides U.S. prior approval for retransfers by the UAE of irradiated nuclear material subject to France and the United Kingdom, if consistent with their respective policies, laws, and regulations. Such retransfers would provide the UAE opportunities for management of its spent fuel, subject to specified conditions, including that prior agreement between the United States and the UAE is required for the transfer to the UAE of any special fissionable material recovered from any such reprocessing. Plutonium recovered from reprocessing could not be returned under the Agreement (with the exception of small quantities for the uses described above, but even then only with the further agreement of the Parties). The transferred material would also have to be held within the European Atomic Energy Community subject to the Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between the United States of America and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).

In view of the fact that this retransfer consent would constitute a subsequent arrangement under the Act if agreed to separately from the proposed Agreement, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy have ensured that the advance approval provisions meet the applicable requirements of section 131 of the Atomic Energy Act. Specifically, they have concluded that U.S. advance approval for retransfer of nuclear material for reprocessing or storage contained in the Agreed Minute to the proposed Agreement is not inimical to the common defense and security. An analysis of the advance approval given in the Agreed Minute is contained in the Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement (NPAS) submitted to Congress with the Agreement.

Conclusion

For all the above reasons I would ask the Committee, and the Congress, to consider the proposed Agreement on its own merits. It is, in some ways, a ground-breaking agreement. It contains all the necessary nonproliferation conditions and controls that Congress has written into law. It does not commit either Party to transfer any nuclear commodities, technology or services to the other. Those are decisions for the future and will be handled on a case-by-case basis according to the usual stringent U.S. licensing procedures. As President Obama determined, the Agreement will promote, and not constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and security. By signing this Agreement, the United States and the UAE have taken an important step in building a long and mutually beneficial partnership to enhance nonproliferation and energy security in the region. The proposed Agreement deserves the support of the Congress.

Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, thank you.

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Senate committee encourages ship and barge traffic to reduce congestion, pollution on highways

WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Wednesday approved legislation Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (Democrat-New Jersey) authored to reduce congestion on the nation’s roads by encouraging more freight to be carried by barges and ships. The measure would create a grant program for ‘America’s Marine Highways’ to encourage shipping by sea or inland waterway and establish a new program to modernize port facilities to make freight movement more efficient.

“The strength of our freight transportation system is being threatened by our overwhelmed roads and bridges – and the simple, smart solution is to ship more of America’s goods by sea,” said Sen. Lautenberg, who chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. “Shipping by barge reduces congestion on roads, cuts emissions and energy consumption, and improves safety. Our future competitiveness will greatly benefit if we improve the use of marine highways to ship goods.”

Sen. Lautenberg’s bill, the Maritime Administration Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2010, would create a grant program to establish America’s Marine Highway as an extension of the surface transportation system. A single sea vessel can take more than 450 trucks off the nation’s roads. The typical barge or ship can move one ton of cargo 576 miles on one gallon of fuel, whereas a truck would move that same cargo only 155 miles.

The bill would also establish a Port Infrastructure Development Program for local jurisdictions and port facilities to improve the capabilities of their port facilities. America’s sea ports are the critical link between all modes of transportation and the ability to move freight throughout the country. Ships carry more than 95 percent of the nation's non-North American trade by weight and 75 percent by value. In addition, approximately three-quarters of international shipments to and from the United States, measured in weight, arrive or depart by ship.

Sen. Lautenberg and Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (Democrat-West Virginia) have previously introduced the Federal Surface Transportation Policy and Planning Act of 2009, which would take a long-term and large-scale approach to transportation planning, rather than focusing on single programs, and emphasizes the importance of shipping by sea.

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