KPL
As international delegates gathered in Vientiane for the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) submitted a formal statement to the Congressional Record on September 15, 2026, addressing the ongoing humanitarian devastation caused by these indiscriminate weapons.
Highlighting the situation in Laos, Senator Welch pointed out that millions of U.S. cluster munitions dropped during the Vietnam War continue to maim and kill civilians decades later, leaving provinces bordering Vietnam heavily contaminated. While acknowledging that the United States is currently assisting with clearance efforts, he emphasized that significantly more resources are urgently required.
Key Highlights of the Statement
Welch stressed that unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to pose unacceptable, landmine-like risks to innocent generations, restricting economic development and threatening human life.
Pointing to precedent, Welch noted a vital provision in U.S. law authored by his predecessor, Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibits the sale or transfer of cluster munitions featuring a failure rate higher than 1%. However, he argued that further legislative and executive action is necessary.
Commending global states parties and non-governmental organizations—such as Legacies of War—for their tireless advocacy, Welch urged the United States and other major powers to join both the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention.
A Stand Against Indiscriminate Warfare
Senator Welch concluded his address by emphasizing that cluster munitions—which scatter hundreds or thousands of submunitions over wide areas—have no place in the arsenal of civilized nations. He called for a complete international halt to the production, stockpiling, transfer, and deployment of these weapons to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in modern and future conflicts.
KPL
