H. Res. 905

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

July 18, 2006.

Whereas on August 29, 1991, the Government of Kazakhstan 

shut down the world’s second largest nuclear test site in 

the Semipalatinsk region of the Republic of Kazakhstan; 

Whereas between 1945 and 1991, more than 450 nuclear 

tests were conducted at this site, exposing more than 1.5 

million innocent people to radiation and causing damage 

to the environment; 

Whereas the damage to the environment and to the health of 

the people of Kazakhstan from this terrible legacy of 

hundreds of detonations of Soviet nuclear explosive devices could be felt for decades to come; 

Whereas upon gaining independence, Kazakhstan inherited 

from the former Soviet Union more than 1,000 nuclear 

warheads, as well as a squadron of 40 TU–95 heavy 

bombers armed with 370 nuclear warheads, comprising 

the world’s fourth largest nuclear arsenal; 

Whereas Kazakhstan renounced this massive nuclear arsenal, 

unilaterally disarmed, and joined the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon state, the first time a state that had possessed such a massive nuclear arsenal had done so; 
2

•HRES 905 EH 

Whereas Kazakhstan’s leadership and cooperation with the 

United States on nonproliferation matters is a model for 

other countries to follow; 

Whereas Kazakhstan also inherited from the former Soviet 

Union the world’s largest anthrax production and 

weaponization facility, which had a capacity to produce 

more than 300 metric tons of anthrax per year; 

Whereas Kazakhstan, in cooperation with the United States 

Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program, dismantled the military-related buildings and equipment associated with the anthrax production and weaponization facility; 

Whereas the Government of Kazakhstan, in cooperation with 

the United States, participated in a very successful secret 

operation code-named ‘‘Project Sapphire,’’ in which 581 

kilograms (1,278 pounds) of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, enough to produce 20 to 25 nuclear warheads, were removed overnight from Kazakhstan; 

Whereas in December 2004 and May 2006, Kazakhstan and 

the United States concluded amendments to a bilateral 

agreement on the nonproliferation of weapons of mass 

destruction, which have moved the two countries toward 

a new level of cooperation in preventing the threat of bioterrorism; and 

Whereas in February 2006, Kazakhstan and the Nuclear 

Threat Initiative of Washington, D.C., with the support 

of the United States Department of Energy, blended 

down 2,900 kilograms (6,600 pounds) of weapons-usable 

highly enriched uranium, enough to produce up to 25 nuclear warheads, converting the material for peaceful use 

and preventing it from falling into the hands of terrorist 
3

•HRES 905 EH 

organizations and being used in weapons production: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) congratulates the people and Government of the 

Republic of Kazakhstan on the 15th anniversary of the 

closure of the world’s second largest nuclear test site in 

the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan; 

(2) commends Kazakhstan for greatly advancing 

the cause of the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction as a result of its dismantlement of its nuclear 

and biological weapons and facilities; and 

(3) calls upon the Administration to establish a 

joint working group with the Government of Kazakhstan 

to assist in assessing the environmental damage and 

health effects caused by nuclear testing in the 

Semipalatinsk region by the former Soviet Union. 

Attest:

Clerk.