IV

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 56

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 4, 1996

Referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing the tenth anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear

disaster, and supporting the closing of the Chornobyl

nuclear power plant.

Whereas April 26, 1996, marks the tenth anniversary of the

Chornobyl nuclear disaster;

Whereas United Nations General Assembly resolution 50/134

declares April 26, 1996, as the International Day Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident and encourages member

states to commemorate this tragic event;

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 over 3,500,000 inhabitants of the affected areas, including over 1,000,000 children, were exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation;
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Whereas the populations of the affected areas, especially children, have experienced significant increases in thyroid

cancer, immune deficiency diseases, birth defects, and

other conditions, and these trends have accelerated over

the 10 years since the disaster;

Whereas the lives and health of people in the affected areas

continue to be heavily burdened by the ongoing effects of

the Chornobyl accident;

Whereas numerous charitable, humanitarian, and environmental organizations from the United States and the

international community have committed to overcome the

extensive consequences of the Chornobyl disaster;

Whereas the United States has sought to help the people of

Ukraine through various forms of assistance;

Whereas humanitarian assistance and public health research

into Chornobyl’s consequences will be needed in the coming decades when the greatest number of latent health effects is expected to emerge;

Whereas on December 20, 1995, the Ukrainian Government,

the governments of the G–7 countries, and the Commission of the European Communities signed a memorandum of understanding to support the decision of Ukraine

to close the Chornobyl nuclear power plant by the year

2000 with adequate support from the G–7 countries and

international financial institutions;

Whereas the United States strongly supports the closing of

the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and improving nuclear

safety in Ukraine; and

Whereas representatives of Ukraine, the G–7 countries, and

international financial institutions will meet at least an-
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nually to monitor implementation of the program to close

Chornobyl: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes April 26, 1996, as the tenth an4 niversary of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant dis5 aster;

6 (2) urges the Government of Ukraine to con7 tinue its negotiations with the G–7 countries to im8 plement the December 20, 1995, memorandum of

9 understanding which calls for all nuclear reactors at

10 Chornobyl to be shut down in a safe and expeditious

11 manner; and

12 (3) calls upon the President—

13 (A) to support continued and enhanced

14 United States assistance to provide medical re15 lief, humanitarian assistance, social impact

16 planning, and hospital development for

17 Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and other nations

18 most heavily afflicted by Chornobyl’s aftermath;

19 (B) to encourage national and inter20 national health organizations to expand the

21 scope of research into the public health con22 sequences of Chornobyl, so that the global com23 munity can benefit from the findings of such re24 search;
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1 (C) to support the process of closing the

2 Chornobyl nuclear power plant in an expedi3 tious manner as envisioned by the December

4 20, 1995, memorandum of understanding; and

5 (D) to support the broadening of Ukraine’s

6 regional energy sources which will reduce its de7 pendence on any individual country.

Passed the Senate April 25, 1996.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.