In an effort to reduce the risk that terrorists could acquire nuclear materials, U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) introduced legislation yesterday that would expand cooperative threat reduction programs in Russia, the senator said when presenting the bill.

“With this new bill, our programs to counter threats of nuclear and radiological terrorism will be significantly strengthened, and risks to the United States and our international partners can be greatly reduced,” Domenici said (Congressional Record, May 22).

If Russia and the United States agree to a disposal program, the proposed 2002 Nuclear Nonproliferation Act would provide $200 million to help Russia dispose of more than 30 tons of surplus plutonium.  The two countries have drafted a proposed deal, but final details remain unfinished (see GSN, May 16).  Domenici said the bill is partly intended to sweeten the deal for Russia, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

The legislation would also provide:

*         $100 million for diluting weapon-grade uranium (see GSN, May 10);

*         $40 million for research related to the possibility that terrorists would use dirty bombs — conventional explosives laced with radioactive material — as well as research for detecting such a bomb and for cleaning up if it explodes (see GSN, April 24);

*         $30 million to support the International Atomic Energy Agency and

*         $10 million to safeguard uranium in research nuclear reactors worldwide (see GSN, May 16; John Fleck, Albuquerque Journal, May 22).

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