[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21671]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           STATUS OF HART OFFICE BUILDING REMEDIATION PROJECT

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I want to update the Senate on a 
situation that is of interest to many people and of acute interest to 
many of us: the remediation of the Hart Senate Office Building.
  It was 3 weeks ago yesterday that an envelope containing anthrax was 
opened in my Hart office by a member of my staff. It is the 
responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency to recommend how 
the Hart Building is to be remediated. No other entity has the 
expertise to make those recommendations.
  One week ago today, on October 30, the Environmental Protection 
Agency officially took control of the Hart Building and the Hart 
remediation project. At the time, EPA officials outlined for us what 
they said was an experimental but promising plan to use a chlorine 
dioxide fumigant throughout the building to kill the anthrax spores. 
Under that plan, the Hart Building could have reopened as early as 
November 13--1 week from today. Unfortunately, it is now clear that EPA 
will not be able to meet its initial optimistic schedule. EPA now says 
that the Hart Building will not re-open until at least November 21.
  Earlier today, EPA officials came to the Hill to brief Senators who 
have offices in the Hart Building on the reasons for the delay. They 
also spoke with chiefs of staff and office managers from those offices. 
Since this situation affects the entire Senate family, I want to share 
what the EPA officials told us. When EPA told us last week about their 
plans to remediate the entire Hart Building using chlorine dioxide as a 
fumigant, they said they believed it was the safest, most effective, 
most comprehensive, and least disruptive way to remediate Hart. At the 
same time, they said their plan would not be final until it had passed 
a peer review--until leading scientists in government and the private 
sector had examined it and agreed it was a reasonable way to go.
  According to EPA, over the weekend, some of those scientists raised 
questions about the plan. While they all agreed that a chlorine dioxide 
fumigant will kill anthrax spores, some of the experts EPA consulted 
expressed concerns about using chloride dioxide gas on a building as 
large as the Hart Building. According to EPA officials, this is not a 
scientific issue. It is an engineering issue. As a result of these 
questions, EPA is now formulating a new plan for the Hart Building.
  The Senate Sergeant at Arms has appropriately insisted that the 
entire Hart Building be tested for anthrax. The building will remain 
closed until the EPA deems that it is safe to reenter. I understand the 
frustration and disappointment of Senators and staff who have been 
displaced by the Hart Building closure. We have all been greatly 
inconvenienced, and we are anxious to get back to the regular order in 
our offices. But we are dealing with a deadly bacteria. Safety must 
come before convenience. Twenty members of my staff and 8 other members 
of the Senate family were exposed to anthrax when that letter was 
opened. I do not want one more person to have to face that situation.
  It is important that we all understand the EPA, and only the EPA, has 
the expertise to declare the Hart Building safe. We will follow their 
lead and re-open Hart when they certify it is safe to do so. The safety 
and health of the people who work in the Hart Building and those who 
visit there must be our guide.
  I appreciate the patience and the understanding of all our 
colleagues, their staffs, and those who find themselves as dislocated 
as my staff. I intend to continue to give periodic reports as they are 
necessary, and I will share whatever information is made available as 
soon as it is provided to me.

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