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First Congressional District of New Mexico
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ask.heather@mail.house.gov

In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico


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Wilson: Restrictions on Foreign Visitors at National Labs to end October 12 August 29, 2000
 
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Congresswoman Heather Wilson applauded the long overdue announcement by the Department of Energy that they have completed their security review of the foreign visitors program at the national labs and certified that it meets the requirements to lift the moratorium imposed on the program last year. During the debate that followed the Cox Commissions report on security concerns at the national labs, it was Congresswoman Wilson that was able to squelch efforts by some in Congress to eliminate the foreign visitors program permanently. “Although I would have liked for this review to have been completed much earlier, I am happy that the labs will be able to re-start the foreign visitors program in the near future,” said Wilson. “This is not only an important step toward improving morale at Sandia and the other labs, but it is also an important program to the University of New Mexico.” Wilson bucked the House leadership in May of 1999 and forced the Speaker of the House to withdraw the Defense Authorization bill from the floor when a bipartisan amendment she crafted with Norm Dicks (D-WA) and others that would make the suspension temporary was not going to be allowed. That is one of the only times during the 106th Congress that a bill already under consideration on the floor had to be withdrawn. Two weeks later, the bill returned to the floor and Wilson’s amendment passed 428-0. “If it hadn’t been for that effort, the foreign visitor program probably would have been gone forever. DOE, the FBI and the CIA have taken a very long time to certify that the counter-intelligence program at the labs is where it should be. But now it’s done, and 45 days from now the suspension will be over.” As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Congresswoman Wilson has been a leader in efforts to find the right balance between the importance of security at the labs and the need by lab scientists to interact with the international scientific community. She has fought hard against over-reaction to the Cox Report in the Congress. Wilson recently hosted a congressional forum at Sandia National Lab that focussed on defining the future mission and rolls of the national nuclear labs and also how to address some of the workforce challenges being faced by the labs. In addition to working to reinstate the foreign workers program, Congresswoman Wilson has committed to trying to increase lab directed research and development funding for the labs and helping Sandia reform their current pension system.
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