III
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 326
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 17, 2000
Received and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the Federal
Government’s responsibility for starting a destructive fire
near Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Whereas on May 4, 2000, the National Park Service initiated
a prescription burn on Federal land during the
southwest’s peak fire season;
Whereas on May 5, 2000, the prescription burn exceeded the
containment capabilities of the National Park Service,
was reclassified as a wildland burn, and spread to non-
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Federal land, quickly becoming characterized as a
firestorm;
Whereas by May 7, 2000, the fire had grown in size and
caused evacuations in and around Los Alamos, New Mex-
ico, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, one
of America’s leading national research laboratories and
birthplace of the atomic bomb;
Whereas on May 12, 2000, the President issued a major dis-
aster declaration for the Counties of Bernalillo, Cibola,
Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San
Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Torrance;
Whereas the fire resulted in the loss of Federal, State, local,
tribal, and private property;
Whereas the loss to private citizens of personal property and
memories cannot be accounted for in monetary terms nor
repaid with financial assistance; and
Whereas a full congressional investigation will assist the Fed-
eral Government to determine the cause of this disaster
and its full cost to the Federal Government and the peo-
ple of New Mexico: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That—
(1) it is the sense of the Congress that the Fed-
eral Government should—
(A) take responsibility for the fire inten-
tionally set by the National Park Service at the
Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, on
May 4, 2000, which burned out of control near
Los Alamos, New Mexico;
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(B) take all necessary steps to mitigate the
threats from the fire to the public health and
well-being of the residents of New Mexico; and
(C) take all necessary steps to compensate
the people of New Mexico for the losses in-
curred as a result of National Park Service ac-
tions; and
(2) the Congress commends—
(A) the people of New Mexico for opening
their homes and their hearts to the New Mexi-
can communities affected by this fire;
(B) the New Mexico firefighting teams for
their efforts and courage in battling the fire;
(C) the New Mexico National Guard and
the State of New Mexico for their efforts in
mitigating the fire and assisting those affected
by it;
(D) the American Red Cross and numer-
ous other charitable organizations and volun-
teers for the extensive assistance provided to
the fire victims;
(E) the Western States that have assisted
New Mexico by sending people and equipment
to help fight the fire;
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(F) the businesses which have served as
food and clothing collection points;
(G) all organizations and individuals that
have collected and disseminated information to
those affected by the fire;
(H) Sandia National Laboratories for ex-
tending assistance to fire victims;
(I) the Department of Energy for pro-
viding analysis and monitoring public health
concerns; and
(J) the people of the United States for
opening their hearts to assist with the plight of
New Mexicans affected by the fire and for send-
ing additional firefighting teams to help battle
the fire.
Passed the House of Representatives May 16, 2000.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.