Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act (H.R. 2631), introduced by my friend and colleague, Congressman Adam Schiff. 

Through my work on both the Homeland Security Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I have become convinced that the nuclear terrorist threat is real, requiring the full and urgent attention of our government.

Last weekend we received a stark reminder of just how real this threat is.  According to media reports, A.Q. Khan’s network may have provided nations – possibly Iran and North Korea – blueprints for a sophisticated nuclear device small enough to fit on a ballistic missile. 

I take this threat very seriously, and as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I have focused much of my attention on addressing our nuclear vulnerability.  I’ve always said that the core of our efforts must focus on a three-pronged approach of prevention, detection and response.  By strengthening our detection capabilities, we have certainly made it more difficult for those who wish us harm to smuggle a nuclear weapon across our borders.  In fact we are currently screening 100 percent of all incoming cargo on the southern border, 98 percent at the nation’s seaports, and 91 percent on the northern border – and Director Vayl Oxford, of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, assures me we will be screening 100 percent along our northern border by next year.

I firmly believe that the surest way to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack from occurring is to prevent terrorists from obtaining weapons-grade nuclear material in the first place.  The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act is a critical part of this mission.  This legislation will enhance our nuclear attribution capability by strengthening our nuclear forensics ability.  Nuclear forensics allows experts to study the mix of isotopes and other features of nuclear material that give it a particular signature, or “fingerprint.”  Once a nuclear signature has been properly identified, we can often times trace the material back to a particular source. 

This is perhaps one of the best proactive measures we can take to deter terrorists from acquiring – and detonating – a nuclear weapon.  If nations around the world know that they can be identified as the source of material used in a nuclear attack, they may think twice about proliferating, knowing that they would be the target of any retaliatory effort.

I’m proud to be a cosponsor of this measure, and I’m so pleased we are taking yet another step to protect Americans against the nuclear threat. Again, I would like to thank Congressman Schiff for his leadership on this issue, and I would like to thank Chairman Thompson for bringing this measure to the floor.