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) sub-
mitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on En-
ergy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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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Whereas studies suggest that spent fuel storage areas, such
as dry casks and pools, may be vulnerable to terrorist at-
tacks, 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 en-
vironment as a result of an accident or terrorist attack
at a nuclear facility and which can lead to the develop-
ment of thyroid cancer, can be combated with the expedi-
tious use of potassium iodide;
Whereas the security of nuclear facilities is a national secu-
rity 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 Gov-
ernors of Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Mas-
sachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Penn-
sylvania, ordered National Guard units to provide secu-
rity temporarily at nuclear facilities in those States, in
conjunction with or in lieu of State and local law enforce-
ment 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
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the President should direct the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, the Department of Defense,
the National Guard Bureau, the Department of
Transportation, the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
tions, and the Central Intelligence Agency to jointly
conduct a study to assess the present and future
need for units of the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard,
and National Guard to augment security at the 103
active nuclear facilities in the United States;
(2) the President should direct the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and the National Guard Bu-
reau to work with representatives of State law en-
forcement agencies to establish basic guidelines for
the proper training and use of National Guard units
deployed at nuclear facilities, emphasizing the need
for high levels of coordination with State law en-
forcement personnel;
(3) National Guard units providing added secu-
rity at nuclear facilities should be funded by the
Federal Government; and
(4) the President should direct the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, the Federal Emergency
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Management Agency, and the Food and Drug Ad-
ministration to establish emergency reserves of po-
tassium iodide tablets in those communities within
the Emergency Planning Zones of each of the 64
nuclear power sites across the Nation, as delineated
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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