[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

                                 ______


                         HON. RICHARD J. DURBIN

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 25, 1996

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 10th anniversary of 
the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and to urge support for closing the 
Chernobyl nuclear powerplant.
  It was 10 years ago, April 26, 1986 that reactor No. 4 at the 
Chernobyl nuclear powerplant exploded. And the effects of that 
explosion are still with us today. Millions of people, including more 
than a million children, were exposed to the high levels of radiation 
that escaped from the Chernobyl nuclear powerplant. Many have suffered 
the consequences of that exposure, which has led to thyroid cancer, 
birth defects, diseases of the immune system and more.
  The world has responded to the suffering of the people affected by 
the Chernobyl disaster. The Ukrainian-American community, the 
Belarusian-American community, the Moldovan-American community, the 
Russian-American community and other Eastern and Central European-
American communities have led the way, sending millions of dollars and 
teams of doctors and nurses to help the relief efforts. But even 10 
years after this disaster, the effects of Chernobyl are still with us. 
There is much work left to do.
  I have introduced, with other Members of Congress, a resolution to 
help ensure that the world and the people most directly affected by 
Chernobyl will one day be able to put this tragedy behind them. The 
resolution urges the Government of Ukraine to continue its efforts to 
close all the nuclear reactors at Chernobyl in a safe and expeditious 
manner. It calls upon the President of the United States to continue to 
support the process of closing the Chernobyl nuclear powerplant. It 
calls upon the President to continue and enhance humanitarian, medical, 
social impact planning, and hospital development assistance for 
Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and other nations most directly affected by 
the Chernobyl disaster. It calls upon the President to encourage 
national and international health organizations to expand the scope of 
research into the public health effects of Chernobyl. And it recognizes 
April 26, 1996, as the 10th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
  The people of the United States have a deep interest in freedom and 
democracy in Eastern and Central Europe, which will contribute to peace 
and prosperity around the world. Our efforts to assist the nations 
affected by the Chernobyl disaster will benefit all nations, including 
our own. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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