U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Oct. 25 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution supporting the nuclear security role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The IAEA plays a crucial role in bolstering nuclear security and guarding against the spread of nuclear weapons and materials,” Sen. Blackburn said. “We must ensure the IAEA has the resources it needs in order to strengthen our country’s nuclear security and ensure atomic energy is not exploited by bad actors around the world.”
Under Senate Resolution (S.Res.) 429, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), the U.S. Senate would maintain that the IAEA plays an indispensable role in strengthening nuclear security and safety around the globe; reaffirm that the United States has a vital interest in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials; and encourage the U.S. and other member states of the IAEA to take steps to ensure that the IAEA has the resources needed to successfully carry out its duties, according to the text of the resolution.
“At a time of immense global conflict, the IAEA plays a critical role upholding global safety standards and peaceful nuclear operations,” said Sen. Luján. “This resolution makes it clear that senators on both sides of the aisle are committed to a fully funded IAEA that has the resources to carry out its vital safety mission.”
S.Res. 429, which has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is a companion resolution to House Resolution 641, introduced in August by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) in the U.S. House of Representatives.