Congressman Jeff Fortenberry

Omaha World-Herald Editorial: Don't ignore the 'fissile cliff'

December 10, 2012

The frustration still comes through when U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry talks about something he saw on Capitol Hill several years ago.

Fortenberry, who represents Nebraska's 1st District, is a recognized expert in Congress on nuclear security issues. One afternoon, he was rushing between two committee hearings — one on the nuclear weapons threat from North Korea, the other on a potential nuclear threat from Iran. Only a handful of people attended those hearings, but as he hurried down a hallway, he saw another committee hearing that was jam-packed.

What was that hearing's topic, he asked. It was about satellite radio policy, he was told.

The anecdote, Fortenberry told The World-Herald, illustrates one of the big challenges in trying to deal with nuclear security overseas. Countless issues of immediate interest demand the attention of Congress and push aside a focus on confronting what could be a catastrophic threat to our country and others.

"What are the consequences of a nuclear attack on Tel Aviv or Berlin or New York or London?" he asks. "We're talking about the future of civilization."

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