The amendment mandates a total end to assistance if the President of the United States cannot certify that Pakistan is not developing weapons.

The provision also requires the President to certify that he has received "reliable assurances that the country in question will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons."

The President certified this in October and recently requested $4.02 billion in aid for Pakistan over the next six years.

He approves of an idea that the Senate be "required" to reaffirm adherence to a treaty whose violation the President has certified.

Under Federal law, the President must certify each year that nations receiving foreign aid from Washington to combat drugs are cooperating.

Consequently, the President certified 10 such materials this month, leaving South Africa free to continue shipping them to the United States.

The President can either certify a country as cooperative or decertify it, which can lead to economic sanctions.

Pakistan each year faces the cutoff of American military aid unless the President can certify the country does not possess a nuclear device.

Moreover, he said, provisions of the law that allow emergency spending can be invoked only if the President certifies a need to meet "emergency requirements."

That same year, 1985, Congress passed a law requiring the President to certify that Pakistan was not producing nuclear weapons.