To express the sense of the Senate that perchlorate contamination of ground and surface water is becoming increasingly problematic to the public health of people in the United States.

SA 3172. Mrs. FEINSTEIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2400, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2005 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Services, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 48, between lines 7 and 8, insert the following:

SEC. 326. SENSE OF SENATE ON PERCHLORATE CONTAMINATION OF GROUND AND SURFACE WATER.

(a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:

(1) Because finite water sources in the United States are stretched by regional drought conditions and increasing demand for water supplies, there is increased need for safe and dependable supplies of fresh water for drinking and use for agricultural purposes.

(2) Perchlorate, a propellant used in munitions and jet fuels, has contaminated fresh water sources intended for use as drinking water and water necessary for the production of agricultural commodities.

(3) If ingested, perchlorate interferes with thyroid metabolism, and scientific evidence suggests that this effect can impair the normal development of the brain in fetuses, infants, and toddlers, and permanently impairs cognitive abilities and brain function in affected children.

(4) The National Academy of Sciences is conducting an assessment of the state of science regarding the effects on human health of perchlorate ingestion that will aid in understanding the effect of perchlorate exposure on sensitive populations.

(b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) perchlorate has been identified as a contaminant of drinking water sources or in the environment in 34 States and has been used or manufactured in 36 States;

(2) perchlorate exposure at or above a certain level adversely affects public health, particularly the health of vulnerable and sensitive populations; and

(3) to help reduce the risk of perchlorate exposure, the Secretary of Defense should develop and implement a plan to remediate perchlorate contamination of the environment resulting from Department of Defense activities in areas at which levels of perchlorate pose the risk of hazardous exposure to perchlorate.