Legislation will improve technology to track down nuclear traffickers and identify sources of nuclear material
Washington, DC – Believing that one of the greatest threats to our security today is the detonation of a nuclear weapon or the use of a radiological device, Rep. Adam Schiff introduced legislation to strengthen efforts in the Department of Homeland Security to develop techniques for “fingerprinting” nuclear material. The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act will also encourage the President to negotiate international agreements to govern international nuclear forensics activities.
“If we can determine the source of the material, we can better attack smuggling networks and plug the security holes that allow deadly material to be obtained in the first place,” said Schiff. “Moreover, nuclear states like North Korea may be deterred from transferring nuclear material if they believe it can be traced back to them. The asymmetrical threat to end all asymmetrical threats is terrorist use of a nuclear device. All our efforts must be directed to making sure this never happens. This bill gives us another important tool.”
In the event of nuclear material being intercepted at a border crossing or in a sting operation, there may be few clues to assist investigators in determining where the bomb or material originated. The radioactive material itself may be the only lead. Each sample of nuclear material has a unique elemental fingerprint that can theoretically determine its source. However, current efforts to trace materials are often incomplete because the technology is still in development and information on foreign reactors and stockpiles is not available.
Rep. Schiff was recently appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel. He also serves on the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.
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