Washington, DC– U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has written to members of the Committee on Environment and Public Works to express her concern about the potential for security breaches at America’s nuclear plants and research reactor facilities. Senator Feinstein asked the committee to conduct oversight hearings into nuclear safety and into what is being done to protect the American people against the possibility of a terrorist attack.

The following is the text of Senator Feinstein’s letter:

November 17, 2005

Dear Gentlemen:

I am writing to call your attention to an issue of great importance that has the potential to affect the lives of all Americans: the safety and security of our nation’s nuclear research reactors at universities around the country.

As you may already be aware, ABC Primetime News recently aired a report entitled “Loose Nukes” in which ABC News conducted a four-month investigation into possible security breaches at many of the nuclear research reactors operating on 25 college campuses around the country. ABC News found serious security flaws.

I believe that this report brings to light a serious loophole in the security of the nation’s nuclear plants. As members of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, with jurisdiction over the issue of nuclear safety, I would encourage you to conduct an oversight hearing to look further into the issue of nuclear safety and ascertain if there is more that Congress needs to be doing to protect Americans from potential terrorist attacks.

I thank you for your attention to this important matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein

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