[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 151 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 151

 Recognizing the essential role that the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 has 
        played in development of peaceful uses of atomic energy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 19, 2004

 Mr. Domenici submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the essential role that the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 has 
        played in development of peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) followed and 
        sought to implement the Atoms for Peace speech of President Dwight David 
        Eisenhower in December 1953, which provided the United States and the 
        world with a blueprint for commercial development of atomic energy to 
        the benefit of humanity;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 defined mechanisms for the production, 
        control, and use of nuclear materials;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 provided the initial framework for 
        regulation of nuclear material and facilities and provided recognition 
        that such control is necessary in the national interest to ensure the 
        common defense and security and to protect the health and safety of the 
        public;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 recognized the need for development and 
        use of atomic energy under conditions to promote the general welfare;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 recognized that it was in the national 
        interest to conduct a comprehensive program of research and development 
        to optimize the benefits of nuclear technologies for humanity;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 set forth the necessity to control certain 
        types of information, material, and facilities for security purposes, 
        while ensuring unclassified dissemination of appropriate scientific and 
        technical information;
Whereas the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 provided the initial framework for 
        international cooperation in nuclear technologies, under suitable 
        controls to ensure common defense and security, to provide cooperating 
        nations with the benefits of peaceful uses of atomic energy; and
Whereas the legacy of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, with 103 operating nuclear 
        power plants in the United States providing 20 percent of the 
        electricity supply of the United States, is invaluable in providing 
        clean, emission-free, reliable power to the United States: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes that the enactment of the Atomic Energy Act 
        of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) was an essential step in the 
        development and use of a range of civilian nuclear technologies 
        to the benefit of humanity;
            (2) commends and remembers the authors of the original 
        Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for their foresight and leadership; 
        and
            (3) commemorates the role played by President Dwight David 
        Eisenhower in his historic Atoms for Peace speech and the 
        leadership he demonstrated in recognizing 50 years ago that the 
        benefits of nuclear technologies would be realized only through 
        a careful national and international system of control, 
        regulation, and use.
                                 <all>