House passes Chornobyl resolution (04/16/06)

House passes Chornobyl resolution

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives on April 4 passed a resolution (HR 703) "recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl [sic] nuclear disaster and supporting continued efforts to control radiation and mitigate the adverse health consequences related to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant."

The resolution marking the anniversary of the world's worst nuclear accident, was introduced on March 1 by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.).

The co-sponsors of the bill were: Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Md.), Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.), Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Henry J. Hyde (R- Ill.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.), Thaddeus G. McCotter (R-Mich.), Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.), Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Curt Weldon (R-Pa.).

The resolution was passed by a vote of 402-1. (The lone nay vote was cast by Ron Paul, Republican of Texas.)

Following is the text of the House Resolution 703.

* * *

Resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl [sic] nuclear disaster and supporting continued efforts to control radiation and mitigate the adverse health consequences related to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Whereas April 26, 2006, marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas serious radiological, health and socioeconomic consequences for the populations of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, as well as for the populations of other affected areas, have been identified since the disaster;

Whereas the Chernobyl Forum, an initiative launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency and supported by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Development Program, and other United Nations agencies, as well as by the governments of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, examined the scientific evidence of the human health affects and the environmental impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas the findings of the Chernobyl Forum, issued in September 2005, significantly added to the understanding of the health consequences and economic impact caused by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas the Chernobyl Forum found that approximately 5 million people live in areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia that were contaminated by radioactivity;

Whereas the populations of the affected areas who were exposed as children have experienced significant increases in thyroid cancer;

Whereas the lives and health of people in the affected areas continue to be heavily burdened by the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas numerous charitable, humanitarian and environmental organizations from the United States and the international community are committed to overcoming the extensive consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas the United States has sought to help the people of the affected areas through various forms of assistance;

Whereas humanitarian assistance and public health research into the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster will continue to be needed in the coming decades when a large number of latent health effects are expected to emerge;

Whereas the United States strongly supports improving nuclear safety in Ukraine;

Whereas, in 1997, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine developed the Shelter Implementation Plan for the purpose of protecting people and the environment from the dangers of the large quantity of highly radioactive material contained in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant;

Whereas as the United States is the largest single country donor to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which was created with the purpose of funding the Shelter Implementation Plan, having pledged a total of $203 million; and

Whereas the most critical component of the Shelter Implementation Plan will be the construction of a new shelter designed to better protect people and the environment from the radioactive remains of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives:

(1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and expresses sympathy for the ongoing effects of the disaster, including adverse health consequences and deaths;

(2) calls upon national and international health organizations to focus their research into the public health consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster into areas identified by the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, so that the global community can benefit from the findings of such research;

(3) supports continued United States assistance to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, the Shelter Implementation Plan, construction of a facility to store spent nuclear fuel and other efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; and

(4) urges other countries and the European Union to continue to provide assistance to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, the Shelter Implementation Plan, construction of a facility to store spent nuclear fuel, and other efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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