©2025 League of Conservation Voters
1983 Scorecard Vote
196
189
48
Issues
The vote is on the Wolpe (D-MI) (D-MI) Amendment to the Export Administration Act (HR 3231), to close loopholes in the Nuclear Non-proliferation Act. The Non-proliferation Act is designed to prevent foreign countries from using U.S.-provided nuclear power facilities and fuel to construct nuclear weapons. In order to receive such exports, these countries must agree to admit international safeguards inspectors into all of their nuclear facilities to ensure that they are not being used for military purposes. Unfortunately the Reagan Administration has taken advantage of loopholes in the law that allow transfer and re-transfer of nuclear technology and components to three countries which have refused to forgo construction of nuclear weapons or accept international safeguards. The Administration has decided to (1) provide reactor spare parts to India, a country which already used U.S.-supplied material to construct one nuclear bomb; (2) approve a “re-transfer” of U.S.-produced “heavy water” from Germany to Argentina, a country that is on the threshold of being able to build nuclear weapons; and (3) approved technical training by U.S. companies at two nuclear reactors in South Africa, which is rumored to already possess nuclear weapons capability. The Wolpe amendment would reverse these actions, and close the loopholes which made them possible.
Wolpe Amendment accepted 196-189; September 30, 1983. YES is the pro-environmental vote.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters