[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1001-1002]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     NEVADA NATIONAL SECURITY SITE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to recognize the 60th anniversary of 
the Nevada National Security Site, N2S2. The Nevada National Security 
Site, formerly known as the Nevada Test Site, has played an important 
role in keeping our Nation safe and will continue to do so as we face 
new security challenges.
  On January 27, 1951, a half kiloton nuclear weapon called ``Able'' 
was dropped on N2S2, launching a 40-year era. In that instant, N2S2 
became the Nation's most important nuclear weapons proving grounds. I 
am thankful for the work done by the men and women at the site who 
dedicated their careers and sacrificed their health to keeping America 
safe. Nearly 20 years after our Nation's last nuclear test, I am proud 
to say that N2S2 is still helping secure America with a new mission 
tailored to 21st century threats and making us energy independent.
  Mr. President, 928 atmospheric and underground tests were performed 
at the N2S2 before the United States established a moratorium on 
nuclear weapons testing in 1992. The vast majority of testing in this 
period took place underground in a network of tunnels and shafts. Even 
though these tunnels were designed to contain radiation from the 
explosions, thousands of N2S2 workers still experienced radiation 
exposure from most of the underground detonations.
  In 2000, after a number of my colleagues and I had begun to hear 
disturbing stories about illnesses our Cold War veterans had gotten 
from their nuclear weapons work and their inability to get any 
financial compensation from the government, we passed the Energy 
Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. This 
legislation was designed to allow thousands of America's Cold War 
veterans receive compensation that would help pay their medical bills 
and honor the sacrifices they and their families had made for our 
country.

[[Page 1002]]

  Unfortunately, it soon became clear that even with this new law, it 
would not be easy for many workers to get the compensation they 
deserved. In 2005, I again began to hear from workers and survivors--
this time complaining that they were being put through an endless 
stream of bureaucratic red tape only to be denied in the end. I was 
enraged that these workers were denied compensation, so I worked for 
the next 5 years before successfully securing automatic compensation 
for most of Nevada's Cold War veterans and their families.
  On August 23, 2010, I joined Tom D'Agostino, the administrator of the 
National Nuclear Security Administration, and officials from the State 
Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense 
to recognize the continued importance of one of our Nation's vital 
national security sites. We established not only a new name, but a new 
mission for N2S2. Changing the site's name from the Nevada Test Site to 
Nevada National Security Site reflects the unique opportunities to use 
the site for detecting dangerous weapons, treaty verification, fighting 
terrorism and nuclear smuggling, and training first responders.
  The Nevada National Security Site is the ideal laboratory for this 
work. It is uniquely secure, and close to Nevadans who are eager to get 
back to work as soon as they can find a good job. And it already has a 
workforce of 3,000 men and women dedicated to serving their country.
  The Nevada National Security Site is not only breaking ground on new 
ways to keep us safe from weapons; it is also breaking ground on 
developing clean energy technologies that will make us energy 
independent. The former nuclear weapons proving ground will soon be a 
proving ground for advanced solar energy technologies. Last August, I 
joined Energy Secretary Chu and Interior Secretary Salazar to designate 
a 17,000 acre portion of N2S2 as the Nation's solar demonstration zone 
for testing the most innovative and promising solar technologies in an 
area with almost perpetual sun shine.
  When Nevadans and all Americans look at the N2S2, they will see 
opportunities embodying the core values of innovation, leadership and 
security. I ask all my colleagues to join with me and the people of 
Nevada in recognizing the Nevada National Security Site's 60th 
anniversary, its rich history and bright future.

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