[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4857-4862]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 703) recognizing the 20th anniversary of the 
Chernobyl nuclear disaster and supporting continued efforts to control 
radiation and mitigate the adverse health consequences related to the 
Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 703

       Whereas April 26, 2006, marks the 20th anniversary of the 
     Chernobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas serious radiological, health, and socioeconomic 
     consequences for the populations of Ukraine, Belarus, and 
     Russia, as well as for the populations of other affected 
     areas, have been identified since the disaster;
       Whereas the Chernobyl Forum, an initiative launched by the 
     International Atomic Energy Agency and supported by the World 
     Health Organization, the United Nations Development Program, 
     and other United Nations agencies, as well as by the 
     governments of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, examined the 
     scientific evidence of the human health affects and the 
     environmental impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas the findings of the Chernobyl Forum, issued in 
     September 2005, significantly added to the understanding of 
     the health consequences and economic impact caused by the 
     Chernobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas the Chernobyl Forum found that approximately 
     5,000,000 people live in areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and 
     Russia that were contaminated by radioactivity;
       Whereas the populations of the affected areas who were 
     exposed as children have experienced significant increases in 
     thyroid cancer;
       Whereas the lives and health of people in the affected 
     areas continue to be heavily burdened by the aftermath of the 
     Chernobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas numerous charitable, humanitarian, and 
     environmental organizations from the United States and the 
     international community are committed to overcoming the 
     extensive consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;
       Whereas the United States has sought to help the people of 
     the affected areas through various forms of assistance;
       Whereas humanitarian assistance and public health research 
     into the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster will 
     continue to be needed in the coming decades when a large 
     number of latent health effects are expected to emerge;
       Whereas the United States strongly supports improving 
     nuclear safety in Ukraine;
       Whereas, in 1997, the United States, the European Union, 
     and Ukraine developed the Shelter Implementation Plan for the 
     purpose of protecting people and the environment from the 
     dangers of the large quantity of highly radioactive material 
     contained in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant;
       Whereas as the United States is the largest single country 
     donor to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which was created with 
     the purpose of funding the Shelter Implementation Plan, 
     having pledged a total of $203,000,000; and
       Whereas the most critical component of the Shelter 
     Implementation Plan will be the construction of a new shelter 
     designed to better protect people and the environment from 
     the radioactive remains of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl 
     nuclear disaster and expresses sympathy for the ongoing 
     effects of the disaster, including adverse health 
     consequences and deaths;
       (2) calls upon national and international health 
     organizations to focus their research into the public health 
     consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster into areas 
     identified by the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, so that the global 
     community can benefit from the findings of such research;
       (3) supports continued United States assistance to the 
     Chernobyl Shelter Fund, the Shelter Implementation Plan, 
     construction of a facility to store spent nuclear fuel, and 
     other efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl 
     nuclear disaster; and
       (4) urges other countries and the European Union to 
     continue to provide assistance to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, 
     the Shelter Implementation Plan, construction of a facility 
     to store spent nuclear fuel, and other efforts to mitigate 
     the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 703, a resolution 
introduced by Congressman Elton Gallegly, the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats of the House International 
Relations Committee. House Resolution 703 recognizes the 20th 
anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and supports continued 
efforts to control radiation and mitigate the adverse health 
consequences related to this terrible accident.
  I would like to commend Mr. Gallegly for his hard work on this 
resolution as well as that of Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania; Ms. Kaptur of 
Ohio; Mr. Levin of Michigan; as well as our distinguished ranking 
member, Mr. Lantos of California, for their great interest in ensuring 
that the international community lives up to its obligations to assist 
Ukraine and other countries in the region to overcome the continuing 
health, environmental, and economic problems caused by the Chernobyl 
accident.
  In just a few weeks, on April 26, the world will mark the 20th 
anniversary of the Chernobyl power plant accident, the most devastating 
civilian nuclear disaster in human history. This disaster caused 
serious radiological, health, and socioeconomic consequences for the 
people of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Millions of people, children in 
particular, suffered severe and debilitating health defects and were 
forced to flee from their homes.
  Although 20 years have passed, the lives and health of individuals 
within the affected areas continue to be heavily burdened by the 
aftermath of the nuclear disaster. Ukraine must not only provide care 
for those affected but also ensure that the radioactive waste and 
environmental destruction from the explosion do not pose a threat to 
the region.
  The sarcophagus currently encasing the remnants of the destroyed 
reactor is in disrepair and may collapse at any time. In response to 
this emergency, the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine 
developed the Shelter Implementation Plan for the purpose of protecting 
people and the environment from the large quantity of highly 
radioactive material contained in the reactor.
  The most critical component of the Shelter Implementation Plan will 
be the construction of a new shelter designed to better protect the 
surrounding area from leakage of radioactive remains. The total cost of 
the shelter could well be in excess of $1 billion. In addition, Ukraine 
must still deal with the health and economic impact of the Chernobyl 
disaster, including the treatment of thousands of people who were 
exposed as children and have experienced significant increases in 
thyroid cancer.
  This legislation expresses the sympathy of the House for the ongoing 
effects of the disaster. In addition, H. Res. 703 calls upon the U.S. 
and other

[[Page 4858]]

countries to continue to provide assistance for the construction of a 
new shelter and a facility to store spent nuclear fuel, and other 
efforts to mitigate the many adverse consequences of the Chernobyl 
disaster.
  Madam Speaker, Ukraine is an important ally of the United States. 
Since the Orange Revolution, our bilateral relationship has been 
characterized by closer cooperation on trade issues, the strengthening 
of democratic institutions, and the fight against the proliferation of 
weapons of mass destruction. It is important that the House go on 
record in support of the Ukrainian people in their effort to overcome 
the negative economic and social impact resulting from this tragic 
accident.
  Again, I would like to commend the work of Congressman Gallegly on 
this issue and for the introduction of this important resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the support of House Resolution 703.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this resolution.
  April 2006, marks the 20th anniversary of the catastrophic accident 
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. At the time of this 
disaster, Ukraine was still under the iron domination of the Soviet 
Union. When the accident occurred, we saw the stock Soviet response to 
all major disasters: cover it up, regardless of the consequences to the 
innocent civilians living in the region. It was not until radioactive 
particles were being detected in Finland that the Soviets were forced 
to admit that the Chernobyl reactor No. 4 was burning.
  While the authorities were engaged in a political coverup, scores of 
brave rescue and emergency workers were attempting to douse the burning 
reactor and hastily construct a concrete cover over the reactor, the 
so-called sarcophagus that is now in danger of collapse.
  According to a United Nations study, Madam Speaker, more than 200,000 
emergency workers were exposed to high levels of radiation and some 
2,200 will ultimately die from radiation-caused illness during their 
lifetimes.
  The Chernobyl accident also caused some 4,000 cases of thyroid 
cancer, the majority of which have occurred in individuals who were 
children or adolescents at the time of the accident.
  On December 15, 2000, with the encouragement of the United States and 
the international community, the President of Ukraine decided to shut 
down the last functioning reactor at Chernobyl, thus effectively 
closing the entire nuclear plant and putting an end to a shameful 
Soviet legacy.

                              {time}  1430

  The Soviet response to the Chernobyl disaster should serve as an 
important reminder to future generations of the folly of totalitarian 
regimes and the need to ensure that democracy remains at the core of 
our foreign policy. Instead of covering up toxic chemical slicks 
traveling silently down China's waterways towards crowded cities, 
Beijing should move towards openness and transparency to save lives; 
and rather than pretending that the destruction of 700,000 homes in 
Zimbabwe was a cleanup operation, Zimbabwe's totalitarian leaders 
should be empowering the young people in these slums to become the next 
generation of democratic leaders in southern Africa.
  Madam Speaker, the Chernobyl disaster has many lessons for our age, 
and our resolution is an important reminder of the importance of 
freedom and democracy worldwide. I urge all of my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of this resolution. It is important to not only remember those 
that perished in this terrible tragedy, but to keep in mind that 
individuals in the affected area are still suffering.
  Although the world's worst nuclear disaster occurred at Chernobyl 
nuclear power station in Northern Ukraine, the wind carried 70 percent 
of the radioactive material into the neighboring country of Belarus. 
This disaster has impacted the region economically, socially, and 
medically.
  I would like to recognize the efforts of Chernobyl Children's Project 
International, a not-for-profit organization that works with the people 
of Belarus to help them overcome the lingering effects of the Chernobyl 
nuclear disaster. This organization provides humanitarian and medical 
aid to over three million children the United Nations recognizes as 
suffering from the Chernobyl disaster. In addition, I would like to 
recognize Children of Chernobyl which is an organization that works to 
provide a respite from ongoing exposure to radiation by bringing 
children to the United States to stay with host families for the 
summer.
  In my district, Annandale United Methodist Church has worked with 
Children of Chernobyl since 1993. Annandale area host families have 
opened their homes and hearts and allowed children from the effected 
region to stay with them for the summer to get some much needed rest. 
These children significantly benefit from the clean water, healthy 
food, fresh air, and love that Annandale area families provide. The 
children return to their homes with a new understanding of American 
culture as well as new clothes, shoes and other necessities. During the 
children's visit, Northern Virginia area doctors donate their time to 
provide the children with medical care, dental checkups and vision and 
orthopedic care.
  It is important that here in America we continue to support the 
recovering from the Chernobyl disaster. Twenty years after this tragic 
accident, we are observing the devastating affects of long term 
exposure to radiation, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
important resolution.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
marking the 20th Anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. I am 
proud to be a co-sponsor of this important legislation.
  On April 26th, 1986 the Chernobyl Nuclear Facility's Reactor Number 
Four exploded, releasing over 100 tons of radioactive material in what 
remains the world's worst nuclear accident. We may never know the full 
extent of the damage this accident has done to the health of people 
living in the surrounding areas or to the environment. It is clear, 
though, that the deaths attributable to the Chernobyl disaster number 
in the thousands and that millions of people in Ukraine, Russia and 
Belarus have been exposed to radioactive contamination.
  It is important as we remember the victims of Chernobyl that we also 
recognize the ongoing consequences of the disaster and the work that 
still needs to be done. We must continue to help those people in the 
areas affected by radioactive fallout. The populations exposed to this 
fallout have experienced significant increases in thyroid cancer, still 
births and birth defects, as well as economic hardship resulting from 
the impact of the disaster on local economies.
  The United States must also continue to support the Chernobyl Shelter 
Fund and the Shelter Implementation Plan. A new shelter for Reactor 
Number 4 is essential to mitigating further health and environmental 
consequences from the radioactive materials inside the facility. To 
date, the U.S. has pledged over $200 million to the Shelter Fund, 
helping to ensure that this work will be completed.
  The resolution before us supports these efforts, and recognizes that 
although this disaster occurred two decades ago, there is still much 
more we must do to help the Government of Ukraine and the affected 
populations cope with its consequences. I urge all of my colleagues to 
support it.
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, 20 years ago the world 
witnessed one of the last crimes of the Soviet communist regime against 
its own people. The biggest nuclear catastrophe in human history was 
kept secret from Soviet civilians, who were exposed to massive amounts 
of radiation that exceeded the medically tolerable norm by 100 times.
  On April 25-26, 1986, many firefighters sacrificed their lives to put 
out the huge fire caused by the explosion. Thirty-one died. Their 
heroism prevented a European Hiroshima.
  In 1986, the Soviet Government let millions of people in Ukraine, 
Belarus and Russia conduct their daily lives as usual--completely 
unprepared, unwarned, and unprotected. On May 1, 4 days after the 
catastrophe, citizens of Kiev, Minsk, Gomel, and dozens of other cities 
went outdoors celebrating Labor Day, an official holiday in the Soviet 
Union. Only days later the civilian population was gradually informed 
of the disaster's extent.
  By that time, millions of people, including infants and children, had 
received high doses of radiation. Dozens were doomed to suffer painful 
deaths in the years to come. Thousands are still coping with health 
problems caused by exposure during those tragic days, including thyroid 
and breast cancer, and tumors.

[[Page 4859]]

The ultimate prognosis for millions remains unclear.
  20 years later, grave danger remains at Chernobyl. 200 tons of highly 
radioactive nuclear waste in Reactor #4 remains separated from the 
outside world by a ``Shelter'' that was determined to be reliable only 
until 2006.
  Today's occasion is an opportunity for all people of goodwill to 
commemorate Chernobyl victims--both civilians, and the brave 
individuals who sacrificed their lives to save those exposed to 
radiation.
  European nations and Japan should follow the U.S. example and live up 
to their pledge to contribute to creation of the Shelter-2. This 
barrier would be effective for another 100 years, and has been approved 
by the Ukrainian government and international experts. The cost is 
estimated to be $1 billion, which is a small price to pay given the 
price-tag in dollars and lives of another radiological disaster.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, as the world prepares to commemorate the 
20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, I rise in support 
of the H. Res. 703 Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl 
nuclear disaster and supporting continued efforts to control radiation 
and mitigate the adverse health consequences related to the Chernobyl 
nuclear power plant. I applaud the leadership of Congressmen Gallegly, 
Hyde, Lantos and Wexler on this important issue.
  Twenty years ago this month, a human error triggered an explosion at 
the Chernobyl Power Plant's Reactor No. 4, causing the worst civilian 
nuclear catastrophe in the history of mankind, one which transcended 
geographic boundaries. Immediately after the explosion, increased 
levels of radiation were registered as far as Japan and the United 
States. The hardest hit were the people of Ukraine, Belarus, and 
western Russia, collectively taking close to 70 percent of the 
radioactive fallout.
  The scope of devastation that followed was truly unprecedented. More 
than 600,000 emergency workers, liquidators, risked their lives putting 
out the reactor's inferno that raged for 10 days while exposing 
themselves to extremely high and deadly doses of radiation. Hundreds of 
thousands of people were forced to leave their homes because of 
radioactive contamination. More than 5 million people in Ukraine, 
Belarus and western Russia found themselves coping with life in towns 
and villages contaminated by iodine and cesium. Thousands of square 
miles of agricultural land and forests had to be removed from use 
because of contamination.
  Twenty years after the initial fallout, Chernobyl has not been 
relegated to history books. Twenty years later, it continues to cause 
human suffering, environmental and economic hardship.
  The disaster at Chernobyl has triggered a well documented epidemic of 
thyroid cancer, particularly among those who were infants and teenagers 
at the time of the explosion. Long latency periods for other types of 
cancers and ailments suggest that the toll on human health in the 
affected populations is a developing story, and not a thing of the 
past.
  The consequences to the environment, as well as agriculture are 
equally devastating. Shortly after the fallout, short-lived iodine 
deposits onto vegetation entered into the food supply, mainly through 
milk, delivering large doses of internal radiation to consuming public. 
As for long-lived long-lived cesium, that will remain a problem for 
decades to come.
  The Chernobyl disaster has been causing tremendous economic hardships 
as well, with Ukraine and Belarus spending up to 5 percent of their 
respective GDP on mitigation of its consequences. Environmental and 
economic degradation in the affected regions, increased health care 
costs, loss in productivity of human capital add to the heavy burdens 
of Chernobyl's enduring legacy.
  As scientists and researchers continue their pursuit of a greater 
understanding of Chernobyl's long term consequences on human health and 
environment, it is important that we avoid closing the page on 
Chernobyl by rushing to speedy conclusions. Instead, I join many of my 
constituents in urging caution in accepting as definitive and 
conclusive some of the findings of the IAEA-led Chernobyl Forum report, 
particularly in the area of health consequences. Our Ukrainian 
colleagues in particular, encourage long term commitment to researching 
and analyzing Chernobyl's legacy. The whole world stands to benefit as 
together, we advance our understanding of man-made environmental 
disasters of this scope.
  Another important aspect of Chernobyl's legacy is its impact on 
energy policy choices that are before the Government of Ukraine. It is 
my belief that Ukraine's long term energy security is not feasible 
without renewed emphasis on renewable energy. We share the same 
concerns in U.S., and both of our countries share great potential for 
development of bio-fuels, and other renewable energy technologies, such 
as fuel-cells, wind power.
  It is also critically important that we address the issue of 
completing the Shelter Implementation Plan with the urgency and 
efficiency it deserves. President Yuschenko has highlighted this 
priority in his address to the Joint Session of the U.S. House of 
Representatives and Senate. It is often said that the next Chernobyl 
can be Chernobyl itself--the decaying concrete-and-steel sarcophagus, 
hastily constructed after the accident to secure the Reactor No. 4, has 
an estimated warranty of 20 years. That time is now, as the structural 
integrity of the encasement causes great concern. It is not just an 
Ukrainian issue, but indeed an issue of European security. As the 
largest single country donor to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, the U.S. 
provides important leadership in this multi-national donor effort. I 
urge the redoubling of efforts by all stakeholders to the Shelter 
Implementation Plan to ensure its timely completion.
  The Congressional Ukrainian Caucus is stepping up to the plate in 
commemorating the somber milestone of the 20th anniversary of 
Chernobyl. I am grateful to my colleagues and our Caucus Co-Chairs, 
Congressmen Weldon, Levin and Bartlett, for their strong leadership and 
support in organizing events commemorating Chernobyl's anniversary. 
They include a special commemorative photo exhibit Chernobyl: 20 which 
documents the human experience there over the past 20 years, looking 
through the lenses of the world's top photographers. The exhibit is 
scheduled to open at the Rayburn Foyer on April 26, 2006 at 10 a.m.; an 
in-depth briefing, scheduled for April 27, 2006, 2 p.m-6 p.m, will 
explore a broad range of Chernobyl issues, including impact on human 
health and agricultural/food systems, environmental, economic and 
social rehabilitation in the affected regions, U.S. and international 
assistance, Chernobyl Shelter Implementation Plan progress; and 
finally, the Congressional reception honoring the tireless work of NGOs 
dedicated to improving human condition in the effected regions, 
scheduled for the evening of April 27, 2006, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
  The U.S. has provided assistance in remediation efforts in the 
aftermath of the catastrophe, followed by technical, humanitarian and 
economic assistance in the subsequent years that. One of the objectives 
of the briefing on Chernobyl is to review past U.S. assistance to the 
countries stricken by Chernobyl disaster, and identify current 
priorities that require continued commitment and financial support.
  Life in the Chernobyl affected regions of Ukraine, Belarus and 
western Russia would have been a much more difficult challenge were it 
was not for the tireless work of many NGOs that go wherever they see 
human needs and opportunities to improve people's lives. Many lives 
were not just improved, but saved, because of the work of such 
organizations as Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund and 
Chernobyl Children's Project International. This month, these charities 
send multi-million dollar convoys and airlifts of valuable medical 
equipment and medicine to Ukraine and Belarus, over the past decade 
bringing more than $100 million worth of medical supplies to those in 
need. This example of human compassion and resilience in the face of 
adversity is truly a hopeful sign for all survivors of the Chernobyl 
catastrophe.
  I am submitting for the Record the respective statements of Children 
of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund and Chernobyl Children's 
Project International in connection with H. Res. 703.
  Finally, I would like to mention the political dimension of this 
catastrophe. When the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl blew up 20 years 
ago, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and other countries were part of the 
closed Soviet society, one where secrecy prevailed and freedom was 
denied. In my view, there was a direct link between the inefficiencies 
of the Soviet system, indeed its criminal disregard for the environment 
and for its citizens, and the disaster we commemorate today. In many 
ways, Chernobyl was a wake-up call for the Soviet Union, for the world. 
We dare not fall asleep again. We must continue to support Ukraine's 
democracy and ease her transition to the European Union; we must align 
ourselves with the brave people of Belarus who are trying to advance 
their own beleaguered country; and must build a strong relationship 
with Russia so that the authoritarian practices of the past that led to 
such disastrous results can be transformed to a more open, hopeful 
society, whose future will be of unlimited potential.
  The occasion of the Chernobyl' s 20th anniversary offers a unique 
opportunity to step back in time and reflect on fragility of human life 
as we interact with powers of nature and technology. Let us be 
thoughtful and mindful

[[Page 4860]]

of the lessons of Chernobyl in our everyday actions.

                   Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund

       The Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund 
     wishes to add its support to House Resolution No. 703: 
     ``Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear 
     disaster and supporting continued efforts to control 
     radiation and mitigate the adverse health consequences 
     related to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant''.
       For the past sixteen years our organization has been 
     working to address the human legacy of the world's worst 
     environmental accident. Relying almost exclusively on private 
     contributions, CCRDF has delivered over $53 million dollars 
     worth of medical supplies, state-of-the-art technology and 
     physician training programs to help save the lives of 
     children stricken with thyroid cancer, leukemia, birth 
     defects, and early childhood diseases.
       The children who are undergoing treatment in our 20 partner 
     hospitals offer painful but eloquent testimony to the 
     critical need for continuing medical aid to the Chornobyl 
     survivors. It is now well established that the nuclear 
     disaster caused an epidemic in thyroid cancer beginning in 
     the 1990s. Children and adults who were exposed to 
     radioactive iodine were stricken at a rate of 80 times higher 
     than normal. Over 9,000 additional children in Ukraine have 
     been diagnosed with precancerous conditions. But thyroid 
     cancer is just one of many health problems confronting the 
     Chornobyl communities. Fully one-third of all children in 
     some provinces suffer from endocrine disorders or tumors that 
     require medical or surgical intervention. Children who live 
     in contaminated territories suffer from immune deficiencies 
     and depleted levels of killer-T cells at a much higher rate 
     than children from relatively clean zones.
       Recent studies by Ukrainian and Israeli scientists have 
     shown that the children born to Chornobyl nuclear cleanup 
     workers--the so-called ``liquidators'' have a seven-fold 
     increase in chromosome damage as compared to their siblings 
     born prior to the Chornobyl accident. There is growing 
     evidence that birth defects have doubled in the wake of 
     Chornobyl, and the rate of some birth defects, such as spina 
     bifida and cataracts are even higher. The Ukrainian-American 
     Association for the Prevention of Birth Defects under the 
     direction of an eminent geneticist from Alabama--Dr. 
     Wolodymyr Wertelecki has been tracking birth defects among a 
     very large population of newborns in the provinces of Rivne 
     and Volyn in northwestern Ukraine. They have found an 
     epidemic of spina bifida, and a wide range of other 
     deformities that are ordinarily extremely rare. Although 
     USAID has discontinued funding for Dr. Wertelecki's research 
     centers, we believe that his program has proven its value. 
     The next stage could be even more important as Dr. 
     Wertelecki's team is developing programs to reduce the 
     incidence of birth defects through prenatal programs and the 
     introduction of folic acid into local foodstuffs.
       The United States could play a vital role in creating a 
     nationwide birth defects registry in Ukraine and Belarus. Our 
     government could also help to save the lives of thousands of 
     youngsters who are born each year with congenital heart 
     defects by providing training and technology to diagnose 
     these life-threatening conditions at birth or in early 
     childhood,
       We have seen how even modest investments can have a 
     dramatic impact on infant survival and cancer remission rates 
     at several of our partner hospitals. In Kharkiv Children's 
     Hospital No. 16, for instance, the recovery and remission 
     rates for childhood leukemia have improved from a dismal 5 
     per cent in 1991 (a virtual death sentence) to 75 per cent in 
     2004 thanks to the installation of modern equipment such as a 
     blood cell separator and a full protocol of chemotherapeutic 
     agents. We have created model neonatal intensive care units 
     in Poltava and Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk, where infant 
     mortality has dropped by as much as 45 to 80 per cent, even 
     as the hospitals began to take on a larger volume of infants 
     with more difficult pathologies. By raising the standard of 
     care, we have also stimulated citizen initiatives, private 
     philanthropy and indigenous government programs that were 
     virtually unheard of during the Soviet era.
       Thanks to the generous support of the Ukrainian-American 
     community, and thanks to corporate donors such as John Deere, 
     Monsanto, Philip Morris and UMC, we have been able to bring 
     doctors the tools and training they needed to achieve quantum 
     leaps in the kind of care they can provide their patients.
       Unfortunately, Chornobyl's legacy is likely to endure long 
     after this 20th Anniversary. We have to remember that the 20-
     year latency period for many forms of cancer is just 
     beginning to toll, and already, Chornobyl liquidators are 
     dying of oncological illnesses at a rate almost triple the 
     rate of working age males in Ukraine. Of the 34,000 
     liquidators who have died in Ukraine to date, 25% died of 
     various forms of cancer as compared to a rate of 9% for most 
     Ukrainians. Our colleagues at the National Institute of 
     Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology in Kyiv have found 
     evidence of cesium-137 and strontium-90 in placentas and 
     breastmilk, showing that newborn infants are being directly 
     exposed to highly dangerous radioactive materials at their 
     most vulnerable stage. We need to remember that the half-life 
     for these elements is 30 years, so they will be with us for 
     many years to come.
       In the coming years, the United States Government should 
     make significant efforts to strengthen Ukraine's medical 
     infrastructure, and to invest in better maternal and 
     children's health. We must also provide funding for 
     independent research studies that will look at a wide range 
     of other health problems such as the accumulation of 
     radionuclides in the gastro-intestinal tract of youngsters 
     who live in areas contaminated with radioactive materials.
       For our part, we will do everything in our power to reduce 
     the impact of Chornobyl by giving Ukrainian children a 
     fighting chance to overcome even the most daunting illnesses. 
     We thank you for your consideration.
                                                Alexander B. Kuzma
     Executive Director
                                  ____

                                      Chernobyl Children's Project


                                                International,

                                                     New York, NY.
       Chernobyl Children's Project International supports House 
     Resolution No. 703: ``Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the 
     Chernobyl nuclear disaster and supporting continued efforts 
     to control radiation and mitigate the adverse health 
     consequences related to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.''
       Chernobyl Children's Project International has worked with 
     health care institutions and communities in Belarus for 
     fifteen years. A partnership between Ireland and the United 
     States, we have delivered over $70 million in humanitarian 
     and medical aid. Working with citizens of Belarus, we provide 
     a children's cardiac surgery program, community care programs 
     for disabled children, nursing and therapeutic programs and 
     training, foster homes and hospice services.
       In Belarus, 1.8 million people continue to live in 
     radiation-contaminated zones--over 420,000 of them children. 
     Our work keeps us in close contact with scientists, 
     researchers, NGOs and physicians in Belarus who have first 
     hand knowledge of the social, economic, and health needs of 
     the communities they serve. They observe and have documented 
     increases in cancer, birth defects, and cardiac and immune 
     disorders since the Chernobyl disaster. Data from experts and 
     health professionals in the affected regions is often 
     overlooked by their counterparts in the West. The Belarusian 
     Academy of Sciences reports that among children, morbidity, 
     sicknesses have increased by almost one-third, new cancers by 
     1.5 times, and blood diseases by 1.5 times. Sixty to 70 
     percent of Belarusians who live in contaminated zones who 
     have been checked at the Belarusian Institute of Radiation 
     Medicine have critical levels of radiation in their bodies.
       Although the link between the Chernobyl disaster and 
     thyroid cancer has by now been firmly established, it is 
     important to note that it took years for this epidemic to 
     emerge. Screening and early intervention programs have thus 
     been able to minimize but not erase the human toll of thyroid 
     cancer. The first warnings were sounded by the medical and 
     NGO communities in Belarus and Ukraine well before the link 
     between the disease and the disaster were widely 
     acknowledged, and in fact initial reports of increases were 
     dismissed.
       The latency period for the emergence of many cancers is 20+ 
     years, and today respected researchers and clinicians are 
     voicing concern over the emergence of birth defects, non 
     thyroid cancers and blood and immune disorders.
       The Chernobyl Forum report made an important contribution 
     to the understanding of the consequences of the Chernobyl 
     disaster by highlighting the complex interplay of factors 
     that impact the quality of life in Chernobyl affected 
     regions, and by encouraging the international community to 
     focus on projects that address poverty, lack of economic 
     opportunity, inadequate health care, and environmental 
     degradation. While we support this holistic approach, it is 
     far too soon to say that we know all there is to know about 
     the long term health effects of Chernobyl. We strongly submit 
     that the U.S. Government and the international community must 
     acknowledge the need for further research and to continue to 
     examine the health effects of the Chernobyl disaster.
                                                       Kathy Ryan,
                                           Executive Director/USA.

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 703, but I 
feel compelled to qualify my support to ensure the people of Ukraine 
continue to receive support in the wake of this tragedy.
  To understand the gravity of the worst nuclear accident in history, 
let's review what happened on April 26th, 1986. While testing the 
reactor, a series of mishaps led to a large chemical explosion that 
resulted in the 1,000-ton cover blowing off the top of the reactor.
  Ultimately, fifty tons of uranium fuel from the reactor core 
vaporized immediately, and were blasted high into the atmosphere; a 
further 70 tons of uranium and 900 tons of highly radioactive graphite 
were dispersed into the area

[[Page 4861]]

around the reactor, starting more than 30 fires; the 800 tons of 
graphite that remained in the reactor core caught fire at once, 
creating a radiological inferno that would burn for 10 days, sending a 
continuous plume of lethal radionuclides roiling into the sky.
  The Soviet government would wait nearly three full days before 
acknowledging that an accident had taken place, and did so only after 
the drifting plume set off radiation alarms in a nuclear plant in 
Sweden. Nine million people were exposed to radiation in Belarus, 
Russia and Ukraine.
  The contaminants, which included plutonium isotopes with a half-life 
of 24,360 years, eventually traveled around the globe, depositing 
radioactive material as far away as the lakes of Japan and the hill 
farms of north Wales. The long-lived radioactivity released was more 
than 200 times that of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and 
Nagasaki.
  The economic consequences of the accident remain a massive burden on 
the countries most affected; Belarus and Ukraine continue to spend 
around 6% of their Gross National Product on trying to deal with the 
consequences of the accident.
  I have concerns with the following clause in H. Res. 703 because it 
sanctions an attempt to downplay the health effects on millions of 
innocent people.
  ``Whereas the findings of the Chernobyl Forum, issued in September 
2005, significantly added to the understanding of the health 
consequences and economic impact caused by the Chernobyl nuclear 
disaster;''
  The Chernobyl Forum study understates the health consequences of 
Chernobyl. The authors excluded more than 30,000 anticipated cancer 
deaths from the collective doses in all other countries in the Northern 
Hemisphere. Over 6,000 thyroid cancer cases have been diagnosed so far 
in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, and more are anticipated. Recent 
scientific studies are revealing an increased incidence of solid 
cancers, including breast cancer, as well as cardiovascular and 
ophthalmic effects. These effects have long latency periods of more 
than 20 years.
  In the Rivne region of Ukraine, 310 miles west of Chernobyl, doctors 
say they are coming across an unusual rate of cancers and mutations. 
There is a 30 percent incidence rate amongst people in the highly 
radiated areas that have physical disorders, including heart and blood 
diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. Nearly one in three of all 
the newborn babies have deformities.
  It took some 600,000 workers for recovery and clean-up operations, 
all of them exposed to high levels of radiation. Studies show that 
almost 35,000 people who took part in the cleanup of Chernobyl have 
died in the years since the catastrophe. The rate of death from cancer 
was nearly three times as high as in the rest of the population.
  The conflicting scientific studies suggest much more research needs 
to be done. But it is essential that we do not minimize the effects of 
this disaster without cause.
  I am concerned that any effort to downplay the effects of this 
disaster may jeopardize the U.S. financial commitment to Ukraine and 
the innocent victims. I cannot support anything that might permit the 
U.S. to abandon the Belarus, Russia and Ukraine victims of Chernobyl.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise this afternoon to join 
Chairmen Hyde and Gallegly, Mr. Lantos and others in commemorating the 
Chernobyl disaster, a tragic event that has left a legacy of pain and 
suffering felt by the people of Ukraine and Belarus to this day. I 
welcome this resolution and especially its emphasis on encouraging 
national and international health organizations to focus their research 
on the public health consequences of Chernobyl.
  As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I can recall the 
Commission hearing I chaired on the 10th anniversary of Chernobyl, at 
which witnesses, including then Ukrainian Ambassador Yuri Shcherbak 
offered compelling testimony addressing the health and demographic 
consequences of the world's worst nuclear disaster. I am pleased to 
inform colleagues that on the 25th of this month the Helsinki 
Commission will hold a hearing commemorating Chernobyl. I am pleased 
that Ukrainian Ambassador Shamshur has accepted my invitation to 
testify along with health experts and others.
  Madam Speaker, as a strong advocate of the health of all children, 
including the unborn, Chernobyl is of special concern.
  In Ukraine and Belarus, there is growing evidence of a steep increase 
in birth defects, especially an alarming 4-fold increase in spina 
bifida that has been documented by the Ukrainian-American Association 
for the Prevention of Birth Defects. Many other forms of birth defects 
have doubled since Chernobyl, including cataracts, deformed limbs and 
fingers, and cleft palates. Recent Israeli-Ukrainian studies have shown 
that children born to Chernobyl liquidators have a 7-fold increase in 
chromosome damage as compared to their siblings born prior to the 
Chernobyl disaster.
  Last year, I authored language that was included in the State 
Department Authorization Act authorizing funding for assistance to 
improve maternal and prenatal care, especially for the purpose of 
helping prevent birth defects and pregnancy complications. The monies 
would be for individuals in the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine 
involved in the cleanup of the region affected by the Chernobyl 
disaster. We need to make sure that Chernobyl health studies and 
efforts to prevent birth defects through the distribution of folic acid 
and better prenatal care receive sufficient funding. These are funding 
priorities that I will continue to pursue.
  Madam Speaker, the public health research community was caught off 
guard by the massive 80-fold increase in thyroid cancer among Chernobyl 
children in Belarus in 1993, and the world community needs to remain 
vigilant for other forms of cancer that may begin to emerge now that 
the 20-year latency period has ended.
  We need to remember that the half-life of radioactive cesium is 30 
years. Thousands of children are still being exposed to dangerously 
high levels of radionuclides in contaminated areas of southern Belarus 
and northern Ukraine, as well as far-flung areas in Scandinavia and 
Eastern Europe that also suffered from radioactive fallout. There is 
still much that remains to be done to overcome the devastating effects 
of Chernobyl, and it is important for the international community--both 
governments and nongovernmental organizations--to remember that 
Chernobyl is not just a Ukrainian, Belarusian or Russian problem. The 
fallout will require continued international attention and commitment.
  I also want to take this opportunity to commend the work of 
nongovernmental organizations that devote considerable time and effort 
in helping the victims of Chernobyl. One such organization is the 
Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund, which has worked 
tirelessly to provide state-of-the-art medical technology, physician 
training and humanitarian aid to give Ukrainian children a fighting 
chance to overcome cancer and leukemia.
  Finally, I welcome the resolution's support for continued U.S. 
assistance to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, the Shelter Implementation 
Plan, and other efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl 
disaster. We need to do everything possible to protect people and the 
environment from the large quantity of radioactive remains of the 
Chernobyl nuclear power plant even as we work to assist the victims of 
the world's worst nuclear disaster.
  Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I would like to commend 
my colleagues on the Committee on International Relations for their 
work on House Resolution 703, which recognizes the 20th anniversary of 
the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. I strongly support this resolution, 
which serves as an important reminder of the work yet to be done to 
ensure a better future for people living in parts of Ukraine, Belarus, 
and Russia, and other areas, who have been affected by the disaster.
  As the resolution makes clear, the United States must continue its 
work with other countries and international organizations to provide 
assistance to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear 
disaster. At the same time, as the resolution points out, it is also 
imperative that we support research into the public health consequences 
of the disaster so that the international community might benefit from 
the findings of such research.
  It is in this spirit that I would like to recognize the Chernobyl 
Research and Service Project, an initiative underway by a coalition 
including the U.S. Department of Energy, the Ukrainian government, Duke 
University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and RTI 
International. By studying the effects of human exposure to radiation, 
this project has a number of critical objectives. In addition to 
protecting the health and welfare of workers involved in the Chernobyl 
clean-up effort, the Chernobyl Research and Service Project aims to 
provide information that will lead to the development of more sensitive 
tests to detect and measure radiation exposure and its effects in the 
human population, as well as the development of more powerful treatment 
for victims of radiation exposure, among other things.
  Today, as we remember the Chernobyl disaster, it is my sincere hope 
that programs such as the Chernobyl Research and Service Project 
continue in an effort not only to improve the lives of those affected 
by the catastrophic event that took place 20 years ago

[[Page 4862]]

this month, but also to ensure that we are better prepared in the 
future.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this significant 
resolution.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 703.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________