[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 107 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H7164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BHOPAL TRAGEDY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to discuss the tragedy 
of the Bhopal disaster in India. This is an event that the Congress and 
the world remember vividly. Unfortunately, we have forgotten that many 
of the victims and their families that remain in Bhopal still remain 
without much reparation.
  On that horrible December day in 1984 when a Union Carbide plant 
leaked 40 tons of lethal gas in Bhopal, India, about 4,000 people died 
within hours, more than 20,000 were injured. And since then the death 
count has risen to over 14,000 as a result of exposure to the gas. 
According to victims rights groups, over 150,000 people are suffering 
from the after-effects such as reproduction complications, loss of 
ability to perform physical labor, rare cancers, severe respiratory 
problems, and the list goes on.
  Not only are there countless trials and tribulations regarding health 
status, but in addition there are tremendous environmental injustices 
such as polluted groundwater, toxic waste, and contaminated soil that 
have largely remained unaddressed.
  Mr. Speaker, Union Carbide is the company responsible for the Bhopal 
disaster. But when Union Carbide and Dow Chemical merged in 2001, there 
was no doubt that Dow Chemical as a successor company was also 
responsible for the disaster. Dow Chemical has the resources to deal 
with the health problems and to provide reparations for the people of 
Bhopal that were devastated by the tragedy.
  To date, Mr. Speaker, there are four basic outstanding demands that 
the victims and their advocates are tirelessly working toward. Dow 
Chemical has the responsibility to meet each of these demands, and I 
would like to express my commitment to seeing that these basic demands 
of justice come to fruition.
  First, Mr. Speaker, there must be acknowledgment that Dow inherited 
criminal liabilities and accordingly should face a criminal trial for 
poisoning people, animals, and the environment. At the time, Union 
Carbide blamed the disaster on a disgruntled worker. But whatever 
happened to him?
  At the time, Warren Anderson was the CEO of Union Carbide. Whatever 
happened to him? And more importantly, where is he now?
  Second, Mr. Speaker, the health of survivors must be monitored and 
medical care must be provided to them as well as the second and third 
generations that have already and undoubtedly will continue to inherit 
health complications due to their family members' exposure to gas in 
1984.
  Third, there must be adequate funding and some type of safe, workable 
design and infrastructure for removing 5,000 tons of waste and 
chemicals in the soil and water. There are over 20,000 people drinking 
contaminated water thoroughly diffused with mercury. And this example 
of endless environmental atrocities is simply unacceptable.
  Fourth, Mr. Speaker, compensation for injuries must be addressed. Any 
victim reparations thus far have been woefully insufficient; and in 
fact, over half the death claims have been rejected. People have no 
choice but to rely on financial retribution and that is because there 
have been minimal numbers of jobs since the disaster, and those 
sickened from exposure have lost the ability to perform simple tasks. 
In addition, care for the overwhelming number of orphans is necessary.
  Mr. Speaker, the struggle of the people of Bhopal has been long and 
has reduced most to living without dignity. Americans deal with 
environmental injustices as well. However, we have public health laws 
that protect our citizens' Federal right-to-know legislation that, in 
fact, came about in the aftermath of Bhopal.
  In an effort to restore basic human rights to the people of Bhopal, 
my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), and I are 
circulating a letter to the CEO of Dow Chemical asking that Dow take 
responsibility for the disaster inherited in 1984 and that it cooperate 
in meeting the demands of its victims. I encourage all of my colleagues 
to sign on to this important letter.
  In addition, I plan on circulating an amicus brief on behalf of the 
Bhopal victims who have year after year tried their cases in the U.S. 
court system and who have been subjected to unfair treatment due to 
corporate favoritism.
  At that time, I will also ask my colleagues to join me in sending a 
message that the injustice cannot continue and that there is support in 
Congress for holding accountable those that are liable for this 
horrific tragedy.

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