§ 6723. Authority to conduct inspections
(a)
Prohibition
No inspection of a plant, plant site, or other facility or location in the United States shall take place under the Convention without the authorization of the United States National Authority in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter.
(b)
Authority
(1)
Technical Secretariat inspection teams
Any duly designated member of an inspection team of the Technical Secretariat may inspect any plant, plant site, or other facility or location in the United States subject to inspection pursuant to the Convention.
(2)
United States Government representatives
The United States National Authority shall coordinate the designation of employees of the Federal Government (and, in the case of an inspection of a United States Government facility, the designation of contractor personnel who shall be led by an employee of the Federal Government) to accompany members of an inspection team of the Technical Secretariat and, in doing so, shall ensure that—
(A)
a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as designated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, accompanies each inspection team visit pursuant to paragraph (1);
(3)
Objections to individuals serving as inspectors
(A)
In general
In deciding whether to exercise the right of the United States under the Convention to object to an individual serving as an inspector, the President shall give great weight to his reasonable belief that—
(i)
such individual is or has been a member of, or a participant in, any group or organization that has engaged in, or attempted or conspired to engage in, or aided or abetted in the commission of, any terrorist act or activity;
(c)
Exception
The requirement under subsection (b)(2)(A) of this section shall not apply to inspections of United States chemical weapons destruction facilities (as used within the meaning of part IV(C)(13) of the Verification Annex to the Convention).