Domenici addresses Laboratory community

U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., on Thursday issued a letter to the Los Alamos community. In the letter he talked about the impact the Laboratory has had to the nation and the recent developments that have exposed the Lab to criticisms.

"It has been the experts at Los Alamos on matters ranging from nuclear weapons to the human genome that have sparked some of my most passionate efforts in the Senate and, as a result, have created national programs ranging from science-based stockpile stewardship and nonproliferation programs to brain imaging and human health," Domenici wrote.

But the senator said recent safety and security incidents have cost the Laboratory some of its credibility. "Today, in Washington, Los Alamos' reputation as a crown jewel of science is being eclipsed by a reputation as being both dysfunctional and untouchable," he said. "These sorts of things, which engender a lack of confidence in not just the laboratory's management but also every one of its employees, must end," said Domenici. "As the proudest defender of the laboratory, I can tell you that the defense can no longer be sustained unless the laboratory changes."

To read Domenici's letter, click here.

Other Headlines