[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 20, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H4682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LAX SECURITY AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

  (Mr. VITTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. VITTER. Mr. Speaker, last year, following disturbing reports of 
lax security at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Congress passed 
and the President signed a law creating an Under Secretary for national 
security at the Department of Energy. This new position was created to 
strengthen security at our labs. Now Secretary Richardson objects to 
filling this post; and as a previous speaker said, he specifically took 
personal responsibility for security.
  Now we know of another massive security breach at the lab. But is 
Secretary Richardson taking personal responsibility for these lapses 
occurring on his watch? Nope, not a chance. He has found a scapegoat in 
the University of California.
  Madam Speaker, UC does have a contract to manage the lab, but 
responsibility for security lies with the Secretary.
  Mr. Speaker, blaming the University of California for the security 
breakdown at the lab is like the captain of the Titanic blaming the 
head waiter for the iceberg. Of course, the captain did not; he took 
responsibility and went down with the ship. It is time for the 
Secretary of Energy to do the same and resign.

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