[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5623-S5624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ARTS, LETTERS, AND POLITICS

  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I thank the Chair. An interesting 
fundraising letter came to my attention. It was written by actress 
Priscilla Presley, Elvis Presley's former wife.
  Accompanying the letter was another from actor, Robert Redford.
  These letters are promoting a special evening of ``Arts, Letters and 
Politics'' in Beverly Hills benefiting a group called ``Americans for a 
Safe Future.''
  During this special star-studded evening, there will be a lavish 
reception, followed by a ``program of celebrity prose and poetry 
readings'' by movie stars Ed Harris and Amy Madigan. The Master of 
Ceremonies will be Ed Begley, Jr.
  Other names on the letterhead include such Hollywood luminaries as 
rock star Don Henley and TV producers Gayle Hurd and Gary Goldberg.
  For as little as $250 or as much as $5000, one can attend this 
glittering fund raising event at the beautiful Chateau Marmont in 
Beverly Hills.
  The letter goes on to note that proceeds from this fund raising event 
will benefit Americans for a Safe Future and ``its continuing efforts 
to protect our environment, our children, and our future from 
radioactive contamination.''
  Well, Mr. President, I want to protect our environment, our children, 
and our future from radioactive contamination.
  We all do.
  But I will not be making a contribution to this group.
  I will not be sending a check.
  I will not be going to Beverly Hills to listen as movie stars read 
poetry.
  Because this group is on the wrong side of the environment, Mr. 
President.
  They are actually opposing what they claim to uphold.
  While these movie stars claim to be protecting our children from 
radioactive contamination, their efforts are inadvertently exposing our 
children to radioactive contamination.
  I am not suggesting that these movie stars want to do this because of 
a lack of intention.
  I am sure they are well meaning. I am certain they think they are 
doing the right thing.
  But they are misinformed, and they are harming those they really want 
to protect.
  ``Americans for a Safe Future'' claim they are protecting the 
Colorado River from the low-level radioactive waste facility planned 
for Ward Valley in the Mojave Desert.
  If the Ward Valley site is built, they say radioactivity from Ward 
Valley will leak into the Colorado River.
  Robert Redford says so.
  Ed Begley, Jr. says so.
  Priscilla Presley says so.
  Don Henley says so.
  That is all some people need to hear to reach for their checkbooks 
and take up the cause.
  Sadly, some are content to get information about radioactive waste 
and desert hydrology from rock singers and movie stars, even if 
prominent and distinguished scientists say otherwise.
  I want to refer to this chart, because it speaks for itself. There 
are the Hollywood movie stars, and here are the scientists who risk 
their reputation in saying that Ward Valley is unlikely to leak 
radioactivity into the Colorado River. Where are you going to put this 
waste? Nobody wants it. California has met the Federal laws that we set 
up to allow them to do it. This is the site the National Academy of 
Sciences has recommended, and here we are listening to movie stars 
raising money that it will not be there, but they do not propose to put 
it anywhere.
  Mr. President, I believe we ought to listen to geologists and 
hydrologists when the subject is radioactive waste and desert 
hydrology, and we ought to listen to movie stars when the subject is, 
well, movies.
  Sadly, the activism of movie stars has temporarily eclipsed the 
findings of scientists.

[[Page S5624]]

  Secretary Babbitt is ignoring the National Academy of Sciences report 
that he himself commissioned and the taxpayers paid for--and we are at 
an impasse today.
  And because of that impasse, low-level radioactive waste is piling up 
at 800 sites around California, including most major colleges and 
hospitals.
  Some of the sites are in densely populated areas, vulnerable to 
accidental radioactive releases from fire, flood or earthquake.
  ``Americans for a Safe Future'' are headquartered in Santa Monica, 
according to their letterhead. I asked my staff to review the 2,106 
radioactive materials licenses in California, and they quickly found 13 
in Santa Monica. There are 432 in Los Angeles County. And yes, some are 
even in Beverly Hills.
  Do these activists and movie stars know that radioactive waste is 
piling up in California neighborhoods, hospitals and college campuses, 
because they are standing in the way of a facility in the remote and 
unpopulated desert?
  Do they know that fire, earthquake or flood could result in a release 
of radioactive materials from these sites?
  Are they suggesting we halt cancer treatment or AIDS research that 
uses radioactive materials?
  Mr. President, these activists and movie stars may be sincere, but 
they are sincerely wrong. They do not realize the effect of their 
activism. They are endangering the environment and their communities 
while they intend to do the opposite.
  Mr. President, like most Americans I like to go to the movies and see 
talented actors and actresses practice their craft.
  And as talented as these actors and actresses are, the are not 
experts in the field of hydrology or radioactivity.
  Nor am I. That is why I rely on experts. And the experts of the 
National Academy of Sciences have spoken.
  Ward Valley is safe. Let us get the waste out of populated 
neighborhoods, and out to a monitored site in the remote desert where 
it belongs.
  I urge these movie stars who lend their names and talents to these 
causes to examine the facts and the scientific evidence about Ward 
Valley, and to reconsider their actions.
  I know that they want a safe future. We all do.
  But I do not believe we need to trade a safe present to achieve that 
goal. A single, licensed, monitored disposal site at Ward Valley will 
not only result in a safe future--but it gets the waste being 
stockpiled in hospitals and college campuses out of our neighborhoods 
and away from our children today.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor a bipartisan bill Senator Johnston 
and I have introduced to end the impasse: S. 1596, the Ward Valley Land 
Transfer Act.
  Let us listen to science, and end this stalemate.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
  I see other colleagues seeking recognition.
  I wish you a pleasant recess, Mr. President.
  Mr. GRASSLEY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.

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