May 13, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5195 NEI, in consultation with industry commu- I think this is a very dangerous pro- cans with this ill-conceived and unnec- nicators and representatives of the U.S. De- posal. I think the fact the network essary plan to ship nuclear waste to a partment of Energy and the American Asso- would cave in is equally dangerous, be- temporary nuclear waste facility in my ciation of Railroads, has adopted a contain- cause the American people have a right own State, at least this movie would ment strategy for the upcoming movie. We do not want to do anything to provide addi- to know what is being proposed. In Ne- have made the public aware that high- tional publicity for this movie prior to the vada, we understand the risk. Sadly, level nuclear waste is dangerous, to use airing. The containment strategy is not a there are hundreds of millions of Amer- the description NBC initially gave; passive one, in that it envisions an aggres- icans in this country who are not fa- that it was indeed going to pass sive effort prior to the broadcast. miliar with the nuclear industry’s pro- through major cities such as Denver; It is the belief of this Senator that posal to make their backyards the cor- and that indeed the health and safety indeed it was a very aggressive effort, ridor by which high-level nuclear waste of citizens of those communities and and the Nuclear Energy Institute put is to pass. many others across the country could pressure on the network to drop all ref- I must say, with tongue in cheek, if be compromised. erences to dangerous high-level nuclear this is to be the standard, one might Mr. President, I yield the floor and waste. The last thing this industry contemplate that the cruise line indus- the remainder of my time. wants the American people to under- try might have put pressure upon the f producers of ‘‘Titanic’’: Please do not stand is that legislation which has VIOLENT AND REPEAT JUVENILE make any reference to the fact that the been supported in previous Congresses, OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY ship is sinking. This may be bad for and in this Congress, would result in AND REHABILITATION ACT OF business. Or the producers of ‘‘Planet the shipment of 77,000 metric tons of 1999 high-level nuclear waste within a mile Of The Apes’’ might have been sub- or less of a total population of 50 mil- jected to pressure from PETA, People The Senate continued with the con- lion residing in 43 States. for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, sideration of the bill. The blue lines depict rails, and in- saying: Look, we object to the way in AMENDMENT NO. 328 deed there is a transportation corridor which these apes are being treated in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under going through the State of Colorado, as the film; please make changes. Or if the previous order, the Senate resumes well as others. some of the advocates of my own State consideration of the HOLLINGS amend- So why did NBC do an ‘‘el foldo’’? approached the producers of ‘‘Casino’’ ment, No. 328, for the remaining 2 NBC is owned by General Electric and, and said: Look, we don’t want you to hours of debate, which is to be equally surprise, General Electric has a nuclear make any references to ‘‘Casino’’ in divided in the usual form. Who yields division, and one of its senior officers this story line; please delete that. time? is a member of the board of directors of In my judgment, the circumstantial The Senator from South Carolina. NEI. evidence is powerful here. The descrip- Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I I acknowledge it is a fictional sce- tion I have given, namely of deadly nu- yield such time as I may consume. nario. But what is very real is that in clear waste, was the network’s own de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- point of fact the proposal is to trans- scription just days ago. The NEI goes ator is recognized. port high-level nuclear waste through into a full court press, what they call a Mr. HOLLINGS. I thank the distin- all these rail corridors that are de- containment strategy—what we all guished Chair. picted on this map. That is not fic- know is damage control—and, miracu- Mr. President, this amendment is tional. That is real. lously, days before this miniseries is nothing more than reinstituting the It is, in fact, real that high-level nu- scheduled to air, the story line is family hour or the family viewing pe- clear waste is deadly, as NBC first de- changed and all references to deadly riod. We had it during the seventies, scribed it. In fact, it is deadly for tens nuclear waste are deleted. but we set it aside, just like the distin- of thousands of years. In point of fact, I hope the American people will not guished Senator from Nevada was talk- as we know, every year there are thou- be misled, that they will understand ing about with respect to censoring and sands of train accidents in America. A the risks that affect them and their making sure these producers and runaway train is not a fictional sce- neighborhoods. Mr. President, 43 dif- broadcasters don’t interfere with the nario. That is something that occurs, ferent States are affected in this sce- creative impulses of a writer or a pro- sadly, from time to time. It is not a fic- nario. This map I have here depicts es- ducer in Hollywood. But when it comes tional scenario for a train and an auto- sentially the States. Because, by their to the bottom line, they change that mobile or a truck to collide at an at- nature, highway corridors and rail cor- around. That is what we have, and it is grade crossing. That occurred trag- ridors connect the major metropolitan very, very difficult to make an over- ically earlier this year in Illinois. It is communities of our country, this high- whelming case. not fictional for trains to be derailed. level nuclear waste would in fact go We are again facing the same The last thing this industry wants through major cities in America. That stonewalling that we viewed Sunday on the American people to know and to fact is largely unknown. ‘‘Meet the Press,’’ when the representa- understand is that, indeed, the ship- Last year, I had occasion to travel tive of the Motion Picture Association, ment of high-level nuclear waste, pro- with my senior colleague to the two who has been doing this for 30-some posed to be sent to a temporary—alleg- communities of Denver and St. Louis, years, said he did not know the effect edly temporary—storage area in my and to share with those communities of TV violence on children and asked own State, at the Nevada Test Site, is the risks that are involved. Most peo- for another study. We pointed out, of a scenario that would involve the ple in the community did not have any course, that is the way we started with transshipment of 77,000 metric tons of understanding that this scenario is not Senator Pastore, back in 1969, 30 years high-level nuclear waste, with all of fictional and far-fetched but, indeed, it ago, and that is when we had the Sur- the risks that are inherent therein. is contemplated that those shipments geon General’s study. It has become What is even more outrageous is that will occur. worse and worse and worse over the it is totally unnecessary. The Nuclear I regret NBC felt it was necessary to years. Waste Technical Review Board tells us respond to the pressure of the nuclear Again this morning, in the Wash- it is unnecessary. The Department of power industry. Having been involved ington Post, an article says: ‘‘Movie Energy has indicated it is unnecessary. in this battle for the last 17 years, I am Mogul Defends Hollywood.’’ Mr. Edgar The President has indicated he would not unmindful of what a powerful force Bronfman states: veto such legislation. All the risks de- they are, not only in Washington but Violence ‘‘is not an entertainment prob- picted in this scenario with high-level around the country. They have every lem’’.... nuclear wastes could be a reality if right to advocate their point of view. Mr. President, all we have to do is go there was a tragic train accident and, As to their concern that somehow their to the May 3 issue of Newsweek. I ask indeed, the canisters were com- industry would be exposed for what it unanimous consent to print the article, promised and high-level nuclear waste is, a high-risk industry that threatens ‘‘Loitering on the Dark Side’’ in the was scattered along the route. the health and safety of many Ameri- RECORD. VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:56 Nov 01, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\1999SENATE\S13MY9.REC S13MY9 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S5196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 13, 1999 There being no objection, the article BANG, YOU’RE DEAD a scenario of slavering evil and imperishable was ordered to be printed in the REVENGE FANTASIES ARE PROLIFERATING IN good. This is the moral and commercial RECORD, as follows: MOVIES AND ON TV. BUT SHOULD THEY BE equation of melodrama: the greater the out- BLAMED FOR LITTLETON? rage suffered, the greater the justification LOITERING ON THE DARK SIDE—THE COL- (By Richard Corliss) for revenge.