[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 125 (Thursday, September 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE DEATH OF EDWARD TELLER

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                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 11, 2003

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of Edward Teller on 
Tuesday, the United States has lost one of our foremost physicists and 
a lifelong advocate for education. Through his leadership and vision, 
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in my district designed the 
nuclear weapons that have deterred world wars and the infrastructure 
that ensures the continuing safety, security, and reliability of our 
Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile without live testing.
  His efforts were instrumental in creating the Livermore site at what 
was then the University of California Radiation Laboratory in 1952.
  Teller served as the Laboratory's second director from 1958 to 1960, 
a time when it was well along in development of the U.S. Navy's Polaris 
missile warhead. Teller advanced Polaris, the Laboratory's first 
military design project. Polaris was validated in a test in 1958, a few 
months before nuclear testing was halted for a time by a voluntary 
moratorium.
  The moratorium was one of Teller's greatest challenges. Faced with 
keeping the Laboratory viable without testing, plans were laid for a 
program exploring the peaceful uses of nuclear explosives called 
Project Plowshare.
  In addition to his contributions to physics, Teller was a passionate 
educator and strongly believed that America needed more intensive 
scientific education to develop future generations of scientists and 
engineers.
  Less than two months ago, Edward Teller was recognized for his 
contributions to science with the prestigious Presidential Medal of 
Freedom, the Nation's highest honor.
  As I work with the national laboratories on the cutting edge programs 
they have developed in multiple areas, I am constantly reminded of 
Edward Teller's legacy. I am saddened by this loss but know that he has 
made lasting and important contributions to the security of the United 
States. For that, we are all grateful.

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