[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E634-E635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF GILBERT MURRAY

                                 ______


                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 1996

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today marks the first anniversary of the 
death of Gilbert Murray, the former president of the California 
Forestry Association.
  Gil was known by all as someone who cared deeply about the outdoors. 
More specifically, he committed his personal and private life to 
maintaining the proper balance between protecting nature and developing 
the natural resources that are necessary to our civilization. He loved 
the outdoors and passed his appreciation of nature onto his friends and 
family.
  Tragically, 1 year ago an environmental extremist took the life of 
Gilbert Murray, depriving his family of a loving husband and father. 
His death was senseless. While claiming to promote the environment, 
someone took the life of Gilbert Murray, a person who dedicated his 
career and life to promoting the sensible use of California's forest. 
As we continue to debate environmental issues in this country, let us 
remain wary of the arguments of those who are unwilling to accept a 
reasonable balance between the needs of nature and humans.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that all of my colleagues will join with me today 
in honoring Gilbert Murray by learning and promoting the ideals that 
Gil held so close to his heart.

[[Page E635]]



                        THE LEGACY OF CHERNOBYL

                                 ______


                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 1996

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, it was a silent killer, and people will 
continue to feel its direct effects well into the next millennium. 
Millions of lives have been unalterably changed by it. Sickness, death 
and dispossession arrived, stayed, and have yet to leave.
  On April 26, 1986, reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Atomic Energy 
Station ignited, causing an explosion, fire, and partial meltdown of 
the reactor core. Ten years have now passed since that terrible day. 
Today, the ghosts of history's worst nuclear disaster can't be avoided 
in the pines and the farmland, now overgrown, that surround Chernobyl. 
The city of Pripyat, once housing 40,000, sits empty. Dozens of 
villages have been abandoned.
  The 134,000 people who were evacuated from the area won't be 
returning to their homes. An area the size of Rhode Island is now a 
dead zone. The health effects are equally astonishing. Sadly, cancer 
among children has tripled. Ukraine now has the highest rate of 
infertility in the world. Birth defects have nearly doubled.
  Mr. Speaker, our Government, many charitable organizations, and 
individuals have contributed to efforts to recover from the disaster. 
We must continue those efforts, and we must enhance them for the people 
of Ukraine. Ukraine faces many challenges, not the least of which are 
the human and economic costs of coping with the effects of Chernobyl.
  Today we must pause to remember those who lost their lives and those 
whose lives were changed forever. We learned many lessons from that 
tragedy 10 years ago, and now we must move forward and help our friends 
in Ukraine prepare for the future.

                          ____________________