H. Res. 703

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

April 4, 2006.

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 

5,000,000 people live in areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and 

Russia that were contaminated by radioactivity; 
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•HRES 703 EH 

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 $203,000,000; and 
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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 
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•HRES 703 EH 

to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear 

disaster.

Attest: 

Clerk.