[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 3 (Thursday, January 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. 
        Lieberman, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. Edwards):
  S. 131. A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Energy 
Reorganization Act of 1974 to strengthen security at sensitive nuclear 
facilities; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President. Today I am joined by Senators Clinton, 
Jeffords, Lieberman, Harkin and Edwards in introducing the Nuclear 
Security Act of 2003.
  The tragedy of September 11 taught us many things. It taught us the 
vulnerability of our Nation's buildings and the strength of our 
nation's resolve. We also learned how important our first responders 
the brave men and women who arrive at the scene when there is an 
emergency. Finally, we are reminded that we must be prepared for 
today's threats because they could become tomorrow's attacks.
  Last year, I introduced legislation to improve the safety of our 
Nation's nuclear power plants. Nearly one year has passed since the 
President warned us in his last State of the Union address how 
vulnerable these facilities are, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
has still not taken any clear steps to improve the safety and security 
of our nation's nuclear power plants. That is not acceptable.
  Recent reports by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Inspector 
General paint a bleak picture of the NRC's commitment to safety and 
security.
  Just a few days ago, the Inspector General released a survey of NRC 
employees.
  According to the Associated Press that survey found that a third of 
the Agency's employees question the agency's commitment to public 
safety and nearly half are not comfortable raising concerns about 
safety issues within the agency.
  The survey also found that some NRC employees worry that safety 
training requirements for nuclear facilities are outdated and ``leave 
the security of the nuclear sites . . . vulnerable to sabotage.''
  So today, we are reintroducing legislation to protect our nation's 
commercial nuclear facilities.
  This legislation will fill the void that has been left by the NRC's 
unwillingness to challenge the industry when terrorists could.
  In particular, it will: establish a task force--chaired by the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC to take a comprehensive look at the 
security of our nuclear facilities.
  Assign a new Federal security coordinator to each nuclear power 
plant. Each plant should have a dedicated NRC employee responsible for 
ensuring the appropriate coordination and communication between 
federal, state, and local emergency response and law enforcement 
agencies.
  Establish a new antiterrorism team, which will provide additional 
support to the existing private security forces. This team will be a 
model for how to protect other potentially vulnerable elements of our 
energy infrastructure.
  Require the NRC to update the threats nuclear power plants must 
protect against; Require the NRC to make a comprehensive review of 
emergency and security plans; Require the NRC to establish a new threat 
level system for nuclear power plants; Require the NRC to revise and 
update their hiring and training standards.
  Establish a new, rigorous program to test nuclear facilities against 
realistic threats. This is the kind of training security guards are 
asking for.
  In developing this bill, we listened to the concerns of guards and to 
the concerns of Americans who live and work near these facilities.
  In opposing this bill, the Administration continues to listen instead 
to the nuclear power industry.
  It is time the Administration lived up to its commitments to make our 
nation's nuclear power plants more secure.
  It is time the Administration listens to the people who really 
matter, not the companies for whom only profit matters.
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