[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H5323-H5326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             10TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 167) recognizing the 10th 
anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, and supporting the 
closing of the Chornobyl nuclear powerplant.
  The clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 167

       Whereas April 26, 1996, marks the tenth anniversary of the 
     Chornobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas United Nations General Assembly resolution 50/134 
     declares April 26, 1996, as the International Day 
     Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear 
     Power Plant Accident and encourages member states to 
     commemorate this tragic event;
       Whereas serious radiological, health, and socioeconomic 
     consequences for the populations of Ukraine, Belarus, and 
     Russia, as well as for the populations of other affected 
     areas, have been identified since the disaster;
       Whereas over 3,500,000 inhabitants of the affected areas, 
     including over 1,000,000 children, were exposed to 
     dangerously high levels of radiation;
       Whereas the populations of the affected areas, especially 
     children, have experienced significant increases in thyroid 
     cancer, immune deficiency diseases, birth defects, and other 
     conditions, and these trends have accelerated over the 10 
     years since the disaster;
       Whereas the lives and health of people in the affected 
     areas continue to be heavily burdened by the ongoing effects 
     of the Chornobyl accident;
       Whereas numerous charitable, humanitarian, and 
     environmental organizations from the United States and the 
     international community have committed to overcome the 
     extensive consequences of the Chornobyl disaster;
       Whereas the United States has sought to help the people of 
     Ukraine through various forms of assistance;
       Whereas humanitarian assistance and public health research 
     into Chornobyl's consequences will be needed in the coming 
     decades when the greatest number of latent health effects is 
     expected to emerge;
       Whereas on December 20, 1995, the Ukrainian Government, the 
     governments of the G-7 countries, and the Commission of the 
     European Communities signed a memorandum of understanding to 
     support the decision of Ukraine to close the Chornobyl 
     nuclear power plant by the year 2000 with adequate support 
     from the G-7 countries and international financial 
     institutions;
       Whereas the United States strongly supports the closing of 
     the Chornobyl nuclear

[[Page H5324]]

     power plant and improving nuclear safety in Ukraine; and
       Whereas representatives of Ukraine, the G-7 countries, and 
     international financial institutions will meet at lease 
     annually to monitor implementation of the program to close 
     Chornobyl: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes April 26, 1996, as the tenth anniversary of 
     the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster;
       (2) urges the Government of Ukraine to continue its 
     negotiations with the G-7 countries to implement the December 
     20, 1995, memorandum of understanding which calls for all 
     nuclear reactors at Chornobyl to be shut down in a safe and 
     expeditious manner; and
       (3) calls upon the President--
       (A) to support continued and enhanced United States 
     assistance to provide medical relief, humanitarian 
     assistance, social impact planning, and hospital development 
     for Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and other nations most heavily 
     afflicted by Chornobyl's aftermath;
       (B) to encourage national and international health 
     organizations to expand the scope of research into the public 
     health consequences of Chornobyl, so that the global 
     community can benefit from the findings of such research;
       (C) to support the process of closing the Chornobyl nuclear 
     power plant in an expeditious manner as envisioned by the 
     December 20, 1995, memorandum of understanding; and
       (D) to support the broadening of Ukraine's regional energy 
     sources which will reduce its dependence on any individual 
     country.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Gilman] and the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran] each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman].
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 167, a resolution noting the 10th anniversary of the 
Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion.
  At 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, a test conducted on reactor No. 4 at 
the nuclear facility at Chernobyl, Ukraine, resulted kin catastrophe. 
An explosion in the reactor core destroyed a large part of the reactor 
building.
  Since the entire facility had been built without any containment 
dome, there was no way for the reactor personnel to prevent the release 
into the atmosphere--and into the wind--of huge amounts of radioactive 
materials. The total amount of radiation released in the course of this 
terrible incident is estimated by many to exceed that released by the 
atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima, Japan in 1945.
  Mr. Speaker, as we note the passage of the 10th anniversary of this 
catastrophe, I would like to provide my colleagues with some estimates 
of the damage caused over the last 10 years in the countries of 
Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia by the catastrophe of April 26, 1986:
  Millions of residents of the countries of Ukraine, Belarus, and 
Russia live on lands contaminated by radiation;
  Thyroid cancers have risen dramatically among children of the 
surrounding region; and
  Radiation continues to work its way into the food chain, and the 
danger of the further spread of radiation from the site of the 
destroyed reactor is growing--even now, the concrete sarcophagus 
surrounding the destroyed reactor is believed to be in danger of 
collapse.
  Meanwhile, energy-starved Ukraine continues to operate two remaining 
reactors at the site, dependent on their electrical output to make it 
through the difficult time of economic transformation through which 
that country is now going.
  The danger at Chernobyl continues, however. As recently as November 
of last year, a serious radiation leak occurred when a nuclear fuel rod 
split open during refueling of reactor No. 1.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a grave situation, and one that requires the 
world's attention and concern.
  I am, therefore, pleased to support and cosponsor this resolution, 
which not only notes the 10th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor 
explosion, but reminds us that the problem of unsafe reactors remains 
with us today at Chernobyl and at other sites across the former Soviet 
Union.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We rise in strong support of this resolution and commend the chairman 
for bringing it before the House. We want to commend the humanitarian 
relief organizations and the individuals who have cared for the victims 
of the Chernobyl disaster. Their work has been supported by U.S., 
European and other international assistance.
  Over the last 4 years, the United States has sent $100 million worth 
of humanitarian and medical assistance to Ukraine. U.S. assistance has 
also helped provide Ukraine with alternative energy sources that would 
facilitate the closing of nuclear power stations.
  On this anniversary, the United States also garnered private 
donations for a combined government-private package of humanitarian and 
medical assistance for the region's victims. The international 
community, including G-7, obligated $3 billion in grants and loans for 
power sector restructuring, least-cost energy investments, nuclear 
safety and a plan addressing the social impact of Chernobyl's closure.
  We are also pleased with the Government of Ukraine's commitment to 
closing the Chernobyl power station in a safe manner by the year 2000. 
Ukraine faces tremendous concerns with regard to finding energy 
sources. Yet, achieving nuclear safety is key for Ukraine. It is also 
one of the most important goals for its European neighbors and the 
United States.
  Mr. Speaker, the chairman mentioned that the destructive power of 
Chernobyl was greater than Hiroshima. I understand it was 400 times as 
large and that nuclear radiation has actually gone up into the 
atmosphere and may very well be affecting all of us. So this is a very 
important resolution.
   Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey 
[Mr. Pallone].
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution 
commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Chernobyl explosion. Although 
one decade has passed since this deadly explosion, the aftermath and 
the truth remain very clouded. The 7.6 tons of 200 different 
radioactive substances released into the atmosphere over Ukraine and 
neighboring nations continue to cause sickness and misery.
  I am especially concerned about the state of the millions of children 
who suffered and continue to suffer from the long-term effects of 
radiation. The highly toxic heavy metals have caused an increase in 
children's thyroid gland cancer, children's diabetes and anemia. The 
medical effects still plague the affected regions which include parts 
of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Scientists discovered inherited 
genetic damage in victims exposed to Chernobyl's radiation spillage. In 
fact a study in the Nature journal states that children born in Belarus 
in 1994 to parents who lived in the area during the meltdown suffered 
from twice the normal rate of a specific type of mutation.
  I should say, Mr. Speaker, particularly the point about Chernobyl 
and, as the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran] mentioned the fact, 
that there has been so much support and humanitarian relief provided to 
the countries effected by private citizens, really mostly here in the 
United States, was brought home to me very vividly a few years ago when 
in my own district, that has a large Ukraine and Belarussian 
population, there was a fund raiser, basically a relief fund raiser to 
help the victims of Chernobyl.
  I had been to some of those efforts that have been held in my 
district, again by private citizens and organizations over the last 5 
or 6 years. I was particularly impressed with the efforts on the part 
of some of the Belarussian organizations in my district. My wife 
happens to be of Belarussian descent. She also has been very concerned 
to make sure that we continue to help those victims of Chernobyl.
  In addition to the medical effects, the impact of the environmental 
damage is still felt today. The 1986 meltdown contaminated 100,000 
square miles of once arable lands in Belarus. That is about 20 percent 
of the agricultural land; in Ukraine, 8 percent; and even within the 
Russian Federation, 1 percent. This irradiated soil poses seemingly 
endless problems for these countries' agrarian communities.
  On April 26, 1991, the fifth anniversary of the meltdown, I 
introduced a

[[Page H5325]]

resolution in the House urging the Soviet Government to take steps to 
evacuate people still living in the affected areas to decontaminate the 
Kiev reservoir, cease the planning, construction, and operation of 
other nuclear facilities in the Ukraine and asked for international 
supervision of existing facilities.
  In an effort to build cooperation between the United States and 
Ukraine, I believe our country should provide technical and medical 
expertise to assist the people who continue to suffer while working 
with all of the newly independent states of the former USSR to make 
sure that a disaster on the order of Chernobyl never happens again.
  As world leaders, we must continue to urge the United States to lead 
international efforts to prevent future disasters. Last year our 
Government joined with Ukraine and several other G-7 nations in a 
memorandum of understanding to close the Chernobyl plant by the year 
2000.
  I just want to say that this action in the memorandum will not only 
close the nuclear plant but it will assist Ukraine in developing a 
safer, more vibrant self-sustaining energy sector. I think it is very 
important to help Ukraine in trying to find alternatives to nuclear 
power and to eventually close the Chernobyl plant.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith], the original sponsor of this 
measure, who is also the distinguished chairman of our Subcommittee on 
International Operations and Human Rights.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of our 
full Committee on International Relations of yielding time to me and 
for expeditiously moving this legislation through our full committee 
and bringing it to the floor today.
  House Concurrent Resolution 167 is an important and timely resolution 
which recognizes the 10th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear 
disaster, the worst in recorded history, and supports the closing of 
the remaining reactors in that plant.
  Several weeks ago, Mr. Speaker, on April 23, I chaired a Helsinki 
Commission hearing that examined the devastating consequences of the 
Chernobyl disaster. Four experts on the subject of Chernobyl, including 
the ambassadors of Ukraine and Belarus, the two countries most gravely 
affected by the disaster, gave sobering accounts of the profound 
medical, environmental, economic, and political consequences of the 
disaster.
  Mr. Speaker, as I think most Members know, in the early morning of 
April 26, 1986 10 years ago, reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear 
power plant exploded, releasing massive quantities of radioactive 
substances into the atmosphere. As a matter of fact, some of the 
experts who have looked at this carefully have suggested that as much 
as 200 times the amount of radiation released at both Hiroshima and 
Nagasaki combined was released as a result of that explosion.

                              {time}  1515

  The highest level of radioactive fallout was registered in the 
vicinity immediately surrounding Chernobyl, near the Ukrainian-
Belorussian border.
  This expression of Congress draws attention to the ongoing tragedy. 
Ten years ago, Mr. Speaker, millions of people, including about 1 
million children, were exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation. 
Since then children, in particular, have experienced alarming increases 
in thyroid cancer and other conditions, including early childhood 
diabetes, anemia, and illnesses associated with general fatigue. One 
World Health Organization expert recently forecast that the total 
number of thyroid cancers among children in the contaminated zones may 
ultimately reach 10,000. These trends have accelerated since the 
disaster and are expected to increase well into the future.
  One of the witnesses at our hearing talked about the fact that many 
of the people who moved out of the affected areas who used to have 
farms there have grown impatient and have moved back to farm. Many are 
not eating the produce and selling some of it in Kiev putting some at 
risk of contamination. Indeed, stomach cancers are now beginning to 
manifest themselves among the people in these affected areas.
  Mr. Speaker, given these devastating consequences, House Concurrent 
Resolution 167 calls upon the President to support continued and 
enhanced United States assistance to provide medical relief, 
humanitarian assistance, social impact planning and hospital 
development for the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and encourages 
national and international health organizations to expand the scope of 
research into the public health consequences of Chernobyl.
  Let me just remind Members as well that there are still scattered 
throughout Russia some 15 different sites where Chernobyl-type reactors 
are today in operation. So the prospects and the specter of this kind 
of thing happening not just on the Chernobyl side itself, where the 
reactors continued to be used, but also throughout Russia, leading to 
what I would consider to be a unmitigated disaster should this happen 
again.
  So we need, I think, to be encouraging the closure of those as well 
and upgrading if they need nuclear power, doing it in a way that is 
environmentally sound and safe.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the most important components of this resolution 
is that it does indeed urge the Ukraine to continue its negotiations 
with the G-7 to implement the December 20, 1995, memorandum of 
understanding which calls for all nuclear reactors at Chernobyl to be 
shut down in a safe and expeditious manner by the year 2000. The 
resolution calls upon the President to support the process of closing 
Chernobyl, as envisioned by the MOU, recognizing, of course, the 
tremendous costs involved and its impact on the country that is 
undergoing a transition from a Communist state to a market oriented 
economy. They do have energy needs. We need to take that into 
consideration and assist them in every way we can.
  Among the most important components of the MOU is the G-7 financial 
commitment, mostly in loans, as well as some grants, to help Ukrainians 
impose market discipline on that country's very inefficient energy 
sector and make it more rational and self-sustaining.
  Finally, the resolution supports the broadening of Ukraine's regional 
energy resources, which will reduce its dependence on an individual 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, the international community, including the U.S. 
Government and many nongovernmental organizations, are indeed 
responding to the consequences of Chernobyl, but more needs to be done, 
especially as Ukraine and the Belarus, the countries again that bore 
the brunt of Chernobyl, are undergoing this transitional period.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask Members to support this measure and then, when we 
get down to appropriate humanitarian aid later on in the year, to 
support the kind of resources that will help make the mitigation of 
this crisis a reality.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Smith] for his sponsorship of this measure and his eloquent 
remarks in support of the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished chief 
Democratic whip of the House, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], 
who is also a very strong supporter of the resolution commemorating the 
205th anniversary of the adoption of Poland's first constitution.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Virginia, Mr. Moran, 
for yielding me the time and for his concern of the peoples of Eastern 
Europe.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and commend 
my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Smith, for bringing it to the floor 
of the House of Representatives.
  Many of us joined in commemorations of this anniversary over the past 
month in churches and town halls in our communities and at a very 
special event at the White House.
  Mr. Speaker, the Chornobyl nuclear disaster 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.

[[Page H5326]]

  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 cannot be 
avoided in the pines and the farmland, now overgrown, that surround 
Chernobyl.
  The city of Pripyat, once home to 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 ten years ago, and now we 
must move forward and help our friends in Ukraine prepare for the 
future.
  That is why supporting this resolution is so important.
  We remember the past and learn from the past.
  But we also look forward to a future in which Ukraine and the United 
States will enjoy even closer ties, and the people of Ukraine will be 
able to build a new future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join us in passing this 
resolution today.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to take a moment to recognize the 
outstanding humanitarian work that has been done over the last few 
years by a group of high school students in my district in New York.
  The Ramapo High School Children of Chernobyl fund has provided $12 
million in medicines and other contributions to children in Belarus who 
were affected by exposure to the Chornobyl radiation.
  I am so pleased to note for my colleagues such thoughtful, charitable 
young people.
  I am certain those children in Belarus who have benefitted from these 
students' humanitarian efforts would want this Congress to know of 
their helping hand and hearts.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Wicker). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 167.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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