Matheson moves to block Nevada nuclear tests

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Matheson is getting ready to butt heads with the White House over a resumption of nuclear weapons testing.

On Wednesday, Matheson, D-Utah, reintroduced legislation that impedes efforts to resume nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site, where tests during the 1950s and 1960s led to the deaths of thousands of downwinders, including Matheson's father, former Utah Gov. Scott Matheson.

"Like thousands of Utah families, I am painfully aware of the federal government's failure to protect its citizens from the dangers of radioactive fallout created during atomic testing in Nevada," Matheson said. "The federal government said we were safe. The federal government knew we were at risk. I will not stand by and let the government take Utah families down that path again."

Matheson originally introduced the "Safety for Americans from Nuclear Weapons Testing Act" in 2004 after funds were appropriated to study development of two new types of nuclear weapons and to shorten the time needed for test site readiness.

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, has announced plans to reintroduce companion legislation in the Senate.

Bipartisan efforts in the House and Senate last year resulted in much of the proposed funding for nuclear weapons development being gutted from the 2005 Department of Energy budget.

The president's 2006 budget includes $8.5 million in both the DOE and the Department of Defense budgets to continue studying the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, or "bunker-buster" weapon.

Matheson said he doubts the military would spend half a billion dollars developing new nuclear weapons and then not test them. Matheson favors research into non-nuclear precision weapons to destroy deeply buried, hardened bunkers.

Matheson said the cost to American citizens of nuclear testing is too great.

To date, more than 5,100 Utahns have filed claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) for cancer and other illnesses from atomic fallout. More than $200 million has been paid by the Department of Justice.

"We need much more accountability from the federal government before we even consider putting citizens at risk again," said Matheson.