IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 616 
Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the closing of the Semipalatinsk nuclear 
weapons test site in Kazakhstan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 31, 2021 
Ms. TITUS (for herself and Mr. CHABOT) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the closing of the 
Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site in Kazakhstan. 
Whereas upon the dissolution of the former Soviet Union, 
Kazakhstan inherited the fourth largest nuclear arsenal 
as well as one of the largest nuclear test sites, the 
Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site; 
Whereas despite global pressure from outside actors, as well 
as the potential political and strategic advantages that 
such an arsenal could provide for Kazakhstan, the newly 
formed republic understood the potential political, secu-
rity, and humanitarian consequences that could arise if 
such an arsenal were maintained; 
Whereas the Nevada-Semipalatinsk Anti-Nuclear Movement, 
a grassroots movement that called for the closure of the 
Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site as well as a mor-
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atorium on all nuclear testing in the former Soviet 
Union, was critical in organizing support for the closure 
of the test site; 
Whereas 
Kazakhstan’s 
first 
President, 
Nursultan 
Nazarbayev, recognized the harmful impact to over two 
million Kazakhs following 456 nuclear tests performed by 
the former Soviet Union at the Semipalatinsk nuclear 
weapons test site; 
Whereas President Nazarbayev made the historic decision to 
officially close the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test 
site on August 29, 1991, while Kazakhstan was still part 
of the Soviet Union; 
Whereas Kazakhstan’s commitment to nuclear nonprolifera-
tion became one of its landmark policies, which remains 
as important today as it was 30 years ago; 
Whereas, in 2009, the United Nations declared August 29 as 
‘‘International Day against Nuclear Tests’’, which is an-
nually commemorated by the United Nations General As-
sembly and in many other locations worldwide; 
Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes the 12th 
annual ‘‘International Day against Nuclear Tests’’; 
Whereas the historic step of closing the Semipalatinsk nu-
clear weapons test site paved the way, five years later, for 
the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which 
resulted in an almost-universal moratorium on nuclear 
testing; 
Whereas the nuclear infrastructure elimination program at 
the former Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site has 
been carried out in accordance with an intergovernmental 
agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the 
United States via the Cooperative Threat Reduction Pro-
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gram, which worked to dismantle nuclear weapons and 
associated infrastructure as well as the conversion of 
post-Soviet Union military technology, to peaceful civilian 
applications; 
Whereas the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, devel-
oped by the United States and first initiated by former 
Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar and is often re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Nunn-Lugar Program’’, has led to sig-
nificant cleanup at the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons 
test site and its surrounding territories; 
Whereas Kazakhstan and the United States successfully im-
plemented ‘‘Project Sapphire’’ to remove more than 
1,200 
pounds 
of 
highly 
enriched 
uranium 
from 
Kazakhstan to the United States; 
Whereas the United States has committed to assisting in 
safely eliminating existing nuclear infrastructure in 
Kazakhstan by providing necessary services and equip-
ment and related personnel training for permanent clo-
sure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site; 
Whereas Kazakhstan became a steadfast supporter of build-
ing a world free of nuclear weapons and has remained a 
committed partner to the United States in working to-
ward strengthening the global regime for nonproliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction; 
Whereas Kazakhstan actively participated at the highest level 
in the United States-led Nuclear Security Summit initia-
tives between 2010 and 2016, which resulted in 
Kazakhstan’s improved system of export control of nu-
clear materials, physical protection of nuclear material 
and nuclear facilities, conversion of highly enriched ura-
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nium reactors to low-enriched uranium, and securing of 
spent nuclear fuel; 
Whereas Kazakhstan garnered the support of the United 
States and other global partners for the establishment in 
2019 of the International Atomic Energy Agency low-en-
riched uranium bank at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in 
Oskemen, Kazakhstan, thereby creating a dependable 
supply mechanism for countries that have decided not to 
develop uranium enrichment capabilities and promoting 
nuclear nonproliferation; 
Whereas nonproliferation was one of Kazakhstan’s highest 
priorities during its tenure as a nonpermanent member of 
the United Nations Security Council in 2017 and 2018; 
Whereas Kazakhstan continues to serve as a role model for 
nuclear nonproliferation and regularly calls upon other 
countries to relinquish existing arsenals or capabilities, 
because risk reduction is an essential and necessary com-
ponent of disarmament efforts and a means to help pre-
vent the potential devastation of nuclear war; and 
Whereas Kazakhstan continues to strengthen the 30-year 
United States bilateral relationship on policy issues 
across multiple sectors beyond just nonproliferation in-
cluding 
security 
cooperation, 
human 
rights, 
and 
Kazakhstan’s continued strong commitment to the rule of 
law: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) applauds Kazakhstan’s 30-year commitment 
to nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, as 
such actions are essential to seeking a world without 
nuclear weapons; 
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(2) acknowledges that Kazakhstan’s experience 
in disarming itself of nuclear weapons following the 
fall of the Soviet Union continues to serve as a 
model for other countries; and 
(3) recognizes that Kazakhstan has committed 
to continuing to strengthen the United States- 
Kazakhstan bilateral relationship by, among other 
issues, continuing to work in partnership with the 
United States on initiatives to keep the world safe 
from nuclear weapons. 
Æ 
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