I
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6298
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 18, 2008
Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Cantor, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, and Mr. Fortenberry) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
A BILL
To restrict nuclear cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Findings
Congress finds the following:
On May 16, 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saud al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Concerning Cooperation in Nuclear Energy and Other Energy Fields.
This Memorandum of
Understanding declared an intent to cooperate in developing
appropriately-sized light water reactors and fuel service arrangements
for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
as well as civilian nuclear
energy training, infrastructure and human resource development
.
Saudi Arabia possesses vast energy resources, including the world’s largest proven reserves of oil.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in a national natural gas distribution pipeline which will serve as the backbone of Saudi Arabia’s national electricity generation system for decades to come.
Questions about
the need for oil-rich nations in the Middle East to acquire the equipment and
expertise to generate nuclear power have been raised in the past, notably in
2004, when Vice President Dick Cheney said, [Iran is] already sitting on
an awful lot of oil and gas. No one can figure out why they need nuclear, as
well, to generate energy
.
Saudi Arabia possesses even greater petroleum resources than does Iran.
The development of nuclear energy technologies by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not appear to have a compelling economic rationale, particularly because Saudi Arabia has additional indigenous energy advantages besides petroleum reserves, such as an average of more than 300 days of exposure to full sunlight every year, giving it a rich solar electricity generation potential.
The proliferation of nuclear technology in the Middle East will increase that region’s instability, and prevent the establishment of a durable and lasting security framework.
Sense of Congress
Congress—
affirms the strong and historic ties between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
disapproves of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Concerning Cooperation in Nuclear Energy and Other Energy Fields signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saud al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on May 16, 2008, at Riyadh;
encourages the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enter into full cooperation in the development of renewable energy sources in Saudi Arabia, including a solar energy program that takes advantage of that country’s strong solar energy potential; and
reiterates that the United States is committed to the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and to preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Restriction on nuclear cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Restriction on nuclear cooperation agreement
Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any international agreement, no agreement for cooperation between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pursuant to section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2153) may enter into force on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Restriction on exports of nuclear materials, equipment, or technology
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including specifically section 121 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2151), no nuclear materials and equipment or sensitive nuclear technology, including items and assistance authorized by section 57 b. of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2077(b)) and regulated under part 810 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, and nuclear-related items on the Commerce Control List maintained under part 774 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, shall be exported or reexported, or transferred or retransferred, whether directly or indirectly, and no Federal agency shall issue any license, approval, or authorization for the export or reexport, or transfer or retransfer, whether directly or indirectly, of these items or assistance (as defined in this subsection) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia if the end user is a nuclear production or utilization facility, or if the President determines that the material, equipment, technology, or item may be diverted for use in such a facility.