[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 5951-5952]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, April 26, the world will 
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster 
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine when it was under 
Soviet control.
  The explosion released into the air radiation equivalent to 90 
Hiroshima-size bombs in the heavily populated areas of northern 
Ukraine, southern Belarus and southwestern Russia.

                              {time}  2000

  Millions of people throughout the world were affected by this 
disaster, and millions more continue to live with its consequences on a 
daily basis. Some have written about the North European countries being 
affected by what has been termed ``white winds,'' the white winds that 
came from Chernobyl. Radioactive contamination continues to harm the 
health of men, women and children throughout our world. It is critical 
that we do not allow ourselves to forget the looming consequences of 
Chernobyl, which are with us still today, lest the tragedy repeat 
itself. We must remind our fellow Americans and the world that those 
problems continue to exist, and the countries that were affected by 
Chernobyl require assistance in resolving them. In order to achieve 
this goal, the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, in

[[Page 5952]]

cooperation with the Chernobyl Challenge `06 Coalition, is organizing a 
series of events at the end of this month to commemorate this solemn 
anniversary. I am very pleased to cooperate with our co-chairs of the 
Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania, 
Congressman Sander Levin of Michigan, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett of 
Maryland, along with myself. Tomorrow, April 26, at 10 a.m. here in the 
Rayburn House Office Building foyer will be a 1-day photo exhibit 
entitled ``Chernobyl 20.'' The exhibit will include photographs by some 
prominent artists illuminating the human stories behind the Chernobyl 
catastrophe and highlighting the dignity and hope of its survivors. We 
welcome the public to come tomorrow and view this photo exhibit in the 
Rayburn House Office Building foyer. It begins at 10 a.m. and will 
remain there the entire day.
  On April 27, the following day, Thursday, from 2 in the afternoon 
until 6, in HC-6 here in the Capitol, a congressional briefing will 
feature expert testimony on Chernobyl issues including radiation and 
health, agriculture and food, environment, economics and U.S. 
assistance and the containment of the fourth unit reactor. The 
ambassadors of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia will provide brief remarks 
to inform about the current situation with respect to Chernobyl and 
their countries. If citizens are interested, they can contact our 
office at our Web site, [email protected] for information.
  On Thursday, April 27 as well, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the evening, 
in B369 Rayburn House Office Building, the Chernobyl Challenge `06 
Coalition, in cooperation with our Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, will 
hold a congressional reception and Members of Congress will have an 
opportunity to speak. Again, if citizens are interested they can 
contact our Web site at [email protected].
  The Congressional Ukrainian Caucus is very grateful that for the 
briefing that will be held on Thursday, from 2 to 6 in Room HC-6, the 
Capitol Building, that some of the following speakers will appear, from 
the Chernobyl Children's Project International and the Children of 
Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund, their executive directors, 
several pre-eminent scientists from major organizations, public and 
private sector universities, talking about the illnesses that plague 
people today as a result of this huge catastrophe. And then, finally, 
those who have served as ambassadors to our country and ambassadors 
from the affected nations will address what we can do in the way of 
additional international response to meet today's challenges still 
arising from the Chernobyl catastrophe.
  I have never seen birth defects as I have witnessed among the 
children affected by this continuing tragedy in Chernobyl. The thyroid 
cancers, the conditions to the heart, the distortions of the human form 
related to radiation resulting from Chernobyl are horrendous.
  The southern part of Belarus is largely depopulated, though some 
people who are refugees from Afghanistan are moving into the area, 
incredibly, and eating and planting seeds in the ground and eating 
contaminated food and infecting themselves even until this day. There 
is so much for the American people to understand. Though it was 20 
years ago, Chernobyl lives as it will for thousands of years to come.

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