[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 19, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E885-E886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 629, TEXAS LOW--LEVEL RADIO ACTIVE 
                   WASTE DISPOSAL COMPACT CONSENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 12, 1998

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, the following resolution was submitted in 
Spanish for the Record following Mr. Reyes' remarks on H.R. 629 on 
Thursday, May 14. This is the English translation to be inserted in the 
Record.

       FIRST.--The Joint Committees on Ecology and the 
     Environment, Border Issues and Foreign Relations of the 
     Chamber of Deputies reiterate their complete rejection of the 
     planning, construction and operation of the Radioactive Waste 
     Dump that the Governor of Texas is trying to establish in the 
     town of Sierra Blanca, Texas, and express their disagreement, 
     concern and disapproval of the decisions, adopted and 
     followed until now by the Government of the United States of 
     America, which favor installation of dumps on the southern 
     border with Mexico, without taking into account the potential 
     negative impact that such decisions can have on human health 
     and the environment in communities located on both sides of 
     the border.
       SECOND.--The Joint Committees of the Chamber of Deputies 
     have conducted an evaluation of available information on this 
     dump project, the result of which shows that its operation 
     would entail potential adverse impacts.
       THIRD.--The Joint Committees of the Chamber of Deputies 
     kindly request that the Office of the Secretary of Foreign 
     Relations transmit to the Government of the United States of 
     America the Chamber of Deputies complete rejection of the 
     construction and operation of a radioactive waste dump in 
     Sierra Blanca, Texas.
       FOURTH.--The Chamber of Deputies presents to the Office of 
     the Secretary of Foreign Relations the possibility of 
     considering the formulation of the following proposals to the 
     Government of the United States of America.
       (a) Insist on the relocation of the Sierra Blanca project 
     to a site located outside the 100 kilometers of the border 
     zone.
       (b) State the disapproval of the Chamber of Deputies with 
     respect to decisions of the United States of America which 
     favor the installation of hazardous and radioactive waste 
     dumps within the border strip.
       (c) Begin negotiation of an amendment to the La Paz 
     Agreement in which the installation and operation of 
     hazardous and radioactive waste dumps are explicitly 
     prohibited in the 100-kilometer strip of the common border.
       (d) Demonstrate to the members of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives the desire of the Chamber of Deputies that 
     they vote against the Compact Law which authorizes the 
     dumping of wastes among the states of Texas, Maine and 
     Vermont, by virtue of [the fact that] their approval 
     signifies notable support for the construction and operation 
     of a radioactive waste dump in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and 
     represents a violation of the spirit of the La Paz Agreement.
       (e) Include the topic of radioactive and hazardous waste 
     dumps on the agenda of the next meeting of the Mexico-United 
     States Binational Commission to negotiate the suspension of 
     dump projects in the 100-kilometer strip of the border.
       FIFTH.--The Joint Committees of the Chamber of Deputies and 
     the Committee of International Affairs are instructed:
       (a) To include this matter on the agenda of the next 
     Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Meeting.
       (b) That the Ecology and Environment, Border Issues and 
     Foreign Relations Committees of the Chamber of Deputies 
     propose that the Governors of the border states of the 
     Mexican Republic and their respective Congresses be informed 
     about projects attempting to be established in the border 
     zone, exhorting them to define a joint strategy so that dumps 
     not be implemented in the 100-kilometer border strip, and 
     requesting their support of the present Report.
       (c) To form a plural commission, made up of deputies [who 
     are] members of the Joint Committees to meet with federal, 
     local and legislative authorities of the United States of 
     America to deal with the Sierra Blanca case and demonstrate 
     their rejection of same.
       SIXTH.--The Joint Committees express that the present case 
     constitutes a valuable opportunity for both countries to show 
     their will, responsibility and ability to cooperate

[[Page E886]]

     in dealing with similar matters of common interest.
       SEVENTH.--To the effect that public opinion has greater 
     awareness of the subject, it is suggested that a document be 
     drawn up, to be disseminated by the national and 
     international communication media, in which the problems and 
     current situation of the project in question are expressed.
       EIGHTH.--The Joint Committees of the Chamber of Deputies 
     request that this report be sent to the Honorable Chamber of 
     Senators so that, within the framework of the faculties 
     conferred on it by the Political Constitution of the United 
     Mexican States, it proposes the actions necessary for the 
     report's implementation.
       Given in the Committee Room of the San Lazaro Legislative 
     Palace, April 27, 1998.

     

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