To provide for preservation by the Department of Defense of historical radiation records.

May 25, 2005

Mr. MATHESON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

To provide for preservation by the Department of Defense of historical radiation records.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Department of Defense Historical Radiation Records Preservation Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Atmospheric testing of nuclear devices was a dark period in the history of the nation for many Americans, particularly `downwinders'.

(2) The National Academy of Sciences urged Congress to `declare a government-wide moratorium' on the destruction of documents that are potentially relevant to measuring fallout in the United States from nuclear weapons testing and assessing health risks.

(3) The National Academies of Science, in reviewing the feasibility of determining doses and health effects to the American population, noted that government data must be secured.

(4) The Department of Energy has ordered a moratorium on the destruction of records, but the Department of Defense has no such prohibition and relevant records could potentially be lost.

(5) The preservation of important historical records should be a priority.

SEC. 3. PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION AND RECORDS PERTAINING TO RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT.

(a) Prohibition of Destruction of Certain Documents- The Secretary of Defense may not destroy any document in the custody or control of the Department of Defense that is a historical record (or part of a historical record) relating to radioactive fallout from the testing of any nuclear device.

(b) Preservation and Publication of Information- The Secretary of Defense shall identify, preserve, and publish information contained in documents referred to in subsection (a).

(c) Sense of Congress- All government agencies should institute a moratorium on the destruction of historical fallout-related records and the Department of Defense should declassify those records for the benefit of scientific research and public health.

END