IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 267

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning the security of nuclear

facilities in the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 13, 2001

Mr. GEKAS (for himself, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. PITTS, and Mr. PLATTS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee

concerned

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning the security

of nuclear facilities in the United States.

Whereas there are 103 active nuclear facilities in the United

States operating at 64 sites in 31 States;

Whereas the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear

power industry maintain that security at all nuclear sites

in the United States has been bolstered since September

11, 2001, and remains sufficient to protect employees

and the residents of surrounding areas from the possible

deleterious effects of an accident or terrorist attack at

any nuclear site;
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•HCON 267 IH

Whereas studies suggest that spent fuel storage areas, such

as dry casks and pools, may be vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and that an attack on these areas could result in

the release of lethal doses of radiation affecting an area

thousands of square kilometers in radius and many times

larger than that caused by the atomic bomb dropped on

Hiroshima, Japan;

Whereas radioactive iodine, which could be released in the environment as a result of an accident or terrorist attack

at a nuclear facility and which can lead to the development of thyroid cancer, can be combated with the expeditious use of potassium iodide;

Whereas the security of nuclear facilities is a national security concern and not merely a regional, State, or local

concern;

Whereas the Office of Homeland Security and the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission issued a general security alert for

the week of October 29, 2001, and specifically requested

additional security patrols or posts at nuclear facilities,

using State law enforcement personnel and, if needed, the

National Guard;

Whereas in response to that general security alert, the Governors of Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, ordered National Guard units to provide security temporarily at nuclear facilities in those States, in

conjunction with or in lieu of State and local law enforcement personnel; and

Whereas the Governors of 22 States have determined that

State and local law enforcement personnel combined with

contracted security personnel can sufficiently ensure se-
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curity at nuclear facilities in their respective States: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the President should direct the Nuclear

4 Regulatory Commission, the Department of Defense,

5 the National Guard Bureau, the Department of

6 Transportation, the Federal Bureau of Investiga7 tions, and the Central Intelligence Agency to jointly

8 conduct a study to assess the present and future

9 need for units of the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard,

10 and National Guard to augment security at the 103

11 active nuclear facilities in the United States;

12 (2) the President should direct the Nuclear

13 Regulatory Commission and the National Guard Bu14 reau to work with representatives of State law en15 forcement agencies to establish basic guidelines for

16 the proper training and use of National Guard units

17 deployed at nuclear facilities, emphasizing the need

18 for high levels of coordination with State law en19 forcement personnel;

20 (3) National Guard units providing added secu21 rity at nuclear facilities should be funded by the

22 Federal Government; and

23 (4) the President should direct the Nuclear

24 Regulatory Commission, the Federal Emergency
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1 Management Agency, and the Food and Drug Ad2 ministration to establish emergency reserves of po3 tassium iodide tablets in those communities within

4 the Emergency Planning Zones of each of the 64

5 nuclear power sites across the Nation, as delineated

6 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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