Senators Udall, Bennet Help Pass Bill to Speed Weapons Destruction at Pueblo Depot

Senate Passage of Defense Bill Will Help Ensure Government Can Destroy Weapons by Congressionally Mandated Date of 2017

October 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced that they have joined the Senate in approving a bill that includes $154.4 million for weapons destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot. The funding, which was included in the bipartisan Department of Defense Appropriations bill, will help the federal government stay on track to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot by the congressionally mandated date of 2017. The bill passed Tuesday evening by a vote of 93-7.

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A final version of the Fiscal Year 2010 funding bill must now be worked out with the House. The Defense funding is in addition to $92.5 million for construction at Pueblo Chemical Depot, which was approved by the Appropriations Committee in July as part of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill.

"We've fought this battle for many years, and I'm thrilled we are on track to finally keep our promise to the people of Pueblo," said Senator Udall, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who previously served on the House Armed Services Committee. "We're close - but we're not there yet. I'm going to keep fighting to ensure Congress keeps its commitment, and keeps the money flowing this year and in the years to come."

"This is tremendous news for the people of Pueblo. By passing this bill we are finally making significant progress in getting the federal government to make good on its promise to destroy weapons at the Chemical Depot," Senator Bennet said. "This has been a long fight and I will continue to work with Senator Udall to make sure the funding is delivered."

The Pueblo Chemical Depot holds 2,611 tons of liquid mustard agent. The Chemical Weapons Convention, ratified by Congress in 1997, requires these munitions to be destroyed by 2012. But because of schedule delays, management problems, and funding shortfalls for the ACWA program, the DOD has acknowledged that the U.S. will not meet the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty deadline.

This year, the Administration announced it was committed to speeding up the schedule for weapons destruction and clean-up at Pueblo Chemical Depot. This year's funding for Pueblo Chemical Depot is part of a $550 million request by the Pentagon to pay for the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (ACWA) program, which manages chemical weapons destruction at the Pueblo Chemical Depot and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. The funding would enable the Pentagon to complete the work at Pueblo by 2017, as Congress mandated in 2007.

Construction has already begun in Pueblo on a neutralization facility for the mustard agent, as well as a biotreatment facility that would break down the hydrolysate byproduct.

Source: Senator Mark Udall