[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NEW MEXICO'S ATOMIC MUSEUMS

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 7, 1995

  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, as our great Nation celebrates the 50th 
anniversary of the end of World War II, many of our citizens are 
visiting my home State of New Mexico, the birthplace of the atomic 
weapons which made the war's ending possible.
  It was in 1942 when scientists first arrived in Los Alamos, NM, to 
work on a super secret program called the Manhattan project. The few 
inhabitants of this remote mesa were relocated and by 1945 some 7,000 
scientists, engineers, construction workers, and their families lived 
in Los Alamos and worked on a project no one could talk about.
  Today, of course, many are talking about the atomic bomb developed at 
Los Alamos, the first test at the Trinity site in southern New Mexico, 
and of course the two bombs dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
  While we in New Mexico couldn't say much about the project 50 years 
ago, we are doing plenty of talking today. There are several museums 
devoted to our State's atomic role and all worth a visit. In Los 
Alamos, the Bradbury Science Museum has interactive exhibits, 
photographs, models, and a film called, ``The Town That Never Was.'' 
The Los Alamos Historical Museum has geological and anthropological 
exhibitions and re-creations of wartime life in Los Alamos. The 
National Atomic Museum at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque is 
also a must-see for those interested in understanding our Nation's 
atomic history and New Mexico's proud role.
  The incredible story of the development of atomic energy is also the 
story of incredible people. These wonderful museums are not only a 
legacy to the defense of our Nation, but a fitting tribute to the 
endeavors of thousands of New Mexicans united in common cause over 50 
years.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing New Mexico's 
contribution to the atomic age, praising our outstanding museums which 
have recorded our achievements, and saluting the thousands of men and 
women who played a critical role in the development of atomic energy.

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