[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9627-S9628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMENDING THE NAVAL NUCLEAR PROPULSION PROGRAM ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 265, submitted 
earlier today by Senator Warner.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 265) commending the Naval Nuclear 
     Propulsion Program on its 50th Anniversary and expressing the 
     sense of the Senate regarding continuation of the program 
     into the 21st century.


[[Page S9628]]


  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the Naval 
Nuclear Propulsion Program and to introduce a resolution to commemorate 
the 50th anniversary of this outstanding institution.
  The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program was founded by the legendary 
Admiral Hyman Rickover in 1948 when he was a Captain. At that time, the 
technology that enabled the release of nuclear power was in its 
infancy--a byproduct of the atomic bomb. Captain Rickover assigned 
himself the task of building a nuclear submarine. Just seven years 
later, U.S.S. Nautilus put to sea under nuclear power.
  Admiral Rickover's legacy--the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program--is a 
technical organization unequaled in accomplishment throughout the 
world.
  The Program is truly a gem of efficiency in government and a crown 
jewel in our Nation's security. The program fulfills its multifaceted 
responsibilities over all aspects of naval nuclear propulsion with only 
750 Government personnel led by a single Director, currently Admiral 
Skip Bowman, USN.
  By law, the Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion, is singularly 
responsible for the design, construction, operation, operator training, 
maintenance, refueling, and ultimate disposal of naval nuclear 
propulsion plants. During its 50 years of existence, the Naval Nuclear 
Propulsion Program has developed, built, and operated 246 nuclear 
reactors of more than 30 different designs. Since the Nautilus first 
sailed, the Navy has delivered 209 nuclear-powered warships which have 
safely steamed a combined total of over 113 million miles.
  The accomplishments of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program provide 
evidence that good engineering does not happen by coincidence, or by 
clever management technique. Good engineering is the result of 
thoroughly trained, dedicated people who are committed to ensuring 
proper attention to technical details.
  The high degree of public confidence in the Navy's nuclear-powered 
warships results from the Program's unparalleled operating, 
environmental, and safety record. This record is made possible because 
the Program has the requisite authority, structure, expertise, and 
experience necessary to focus all aspects of work on a common goal: 
Safe and reliable nuclear propulsion supporting military objectives.
  Mr. President, I congratulate the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program on 
its 50th anniversary and on all the accomplishments it has achieved 
during that time.
  On a personal note, I wish to acknowledge the contributions of the 
Directors of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program past and present--
Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, Admiral Kin McKee, Admiral Bruce DeMars and 
Admiral Skip Bowman--all of whom I am proud to have known and with whom 
I have worked closely over the years.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this fine organization by 
cosponsoring this resolution.
  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to; that the preamble be agreed to; that the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that a statement by 
Senator Warner in explanation appear at the appropriate place in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 265) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 265

       Whereas in 1948, Admiral (then Captain) Hyman G. Rickover 
     first assembled his team of Navy professionals, other 
     Government professionals, and contractor professionals that 
     would adapt the relatively new technology of atomic energy to 
     design and build the United States' fleet of nuclear-powered 
     warships;
       Whereas over the next seven years, Admiral Rickover and his 
     team developed an industrial base in a new technology, 
     pioneered new materials, designed and built a prototype 
     reactor, established a training program, and took the world's 
     first nuclear-powered submarine, the U.S.S. Nautilus, to sea 
     thus ensuring America's undersea superiority;
       Whereas since 1955, when the U.S.S. Nautilus first sailed, 
     the Navy has put to sea 209 nuclear-powered ships whose 
     propulsion plants have given the Navy unparalleled mobility, 
     flexibility, and, additionally for submarines, stealth, with 
     an outstanding record of safety;
       Whereas during its 50 years of existence, the Naval Nuclear 
     Propulsion Program has developed, built, and managed the 
     operation of 246 nuclear reactors of more than 30 different 
     designs with a combined total of 4,900 reactor years of 
     operation, thereby leading the world in reactor construction, 
     servicing, and operational experience;
       Whereas since its inception, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion 
     Program has trained over 90,000 reactor operators and the 
     Navy's nuclear-powered warships have achieved over 
     113,000,000 miles of safe steaming on nuclear power; and
       Whereas nuclear energy now propels more than 40 percent of 
     the Navy's major combatant vessels and these nuclear-powered 
     warships are accepted without reservation by over 50 
     countries and territories into 150 ports: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate commends the past and present personnel of 
     the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program for the technical 
     excellence, accomplishment, and oversight demonstrated in the 
     program and congratulates those personnel for the 50 years of 
     exemplary service that has been provided to the United States 
     through the program; and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the Naval Nuclear 
     Propulsion Program should be continued into the next 
     millennium to provide exemplary technical accomplishment in, 
     and oversight of, Naval nuclear propulsion plants and to 
     continue to be a model of technical excellence in the United 
     States and the world.

                          ____________________