{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://horsford.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-horsford-titus-lee-lead-demand-for-congressional-briefings-and-oversight-of-any-explosive-nuclear-testing", "Reps. Horsford, Titus & Lee Lead Demand for Congressional Briefings and Oversight of Any Explosive Nuclear Testing", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NV", "Steven Horsford", "H001066", "horsford.house.gov", "horsford", "https://horsford.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives Steven Horsford (NV-04), Dina Titus (NV-01) and Susie Lee (NV-03) co-led a letter (attached) demanding the Trump administration take steps to bring transparency and accountability to their stated plans to renew explosive nuclear testing.\n\nThe letter, which was sent Friday, November 21, 2025, to President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Brandon Williams, denounces the administration\u2019s plans and outlines clear actions to ensure Congressional oversight, including:\n\nUnclassified bipartisan briefings.\n\nAssessments of the projected health, environmental, and economic impacts.\n\nA comprehensive cost estimate of an explosive nuclear test, and more.\n\nKey excerpt:\n\nRenewing explosive testing will resume a dark chapter in American history that still continues to leave deep human and environmental scars. Between 1951 and 1992, over 900 nuclear tests blanketed the American West with radioactive fallout, exposing millions of Americans to devastating health effects, especially \u201cdownwind\u201d communities in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Decades of evidence from the Nevada National Security Site, the Marshall Islands, and other test regions document the lasting toll of contamination, illness, and environmental damage. Many of those harmed are still awaiting long-overdue compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Resuming testing will only compound these injustices, expose new generations to radiation and environmental risk while many are already denied care for past exposure, and further erode public trust in the government\u2019s commitment to protect its own citizens.\n\nThe lawmakers released the following statements:\n\n\u201cNevadans know better than anyone how reckless the Trump administration\u2019s reversal on three decades of nuclear non-proliferation is,\u201d Rep. Horsford said. \u201cSome in our state continue to wait for compensation they\u2019re due from 41 years of nuclear tests poisoning our land, air, and water \u2013 we cannot allow history to repeat itself. Nevada\u2019s Congressional Democrats are united in our opposition to renewed testing, and our demand for accountability. That means truly understanding the impacts on the environment, economy, and local population. It means being clear-eyed about the full cost of conducting a test. And it means ensuring all of this information is available for Congressional oversight and public scrutiny.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor decades too many Nevadans have suffered the consequences of explosive nuclear testing and toxic radiation exposure,\u201d Rep. Lee said. \u201cExperts, including those in the Trump administration, have consistently testified that explosive nuclear testing is unnecessary. Instead of nuclear saber-rattling, this moment demands transparency and accountability. Congress must have oversight over nuclear testing so we can continue to protect our people, environment, and economy.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 letter requests the Trump administration take six specific actions:\n\nReaffirm the U.S. moratorium on explosive nuclear weapons testing and immediately halt any preparatory or infrastructure activities that signal intent to resume such testing.\n\nProvide a full, unclassified bipartisan briefing to Congress outlining any directives, funding allocations, or site activities associated with renewed test readiness, including at the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.\n\nPublish an interagency assessment detailing the projected health, environmental, and economic impacts of potential testing, including radiation exposure risks to downwind communities and service members.\n\nDeliver to Congress a comprehensive cost estimate for conducting an explosive nuclear test\u2014including equipment, personnel, time, and cleanup\u2014along with an explanation of the strategic rationale.\n\nEstablish an updated presumption of exposure for military personnel, federal employees, and civilians who served or lived near historic or proposed test sites, ensuring expedited access to care and compensation under the RECA.\n\nRecommit to the principles and verification mechanisms of the CTBT and reaffirm U.S. leadership in scientific stewardship, strategic stability, and responsible global engagement. We also urge the Administration to renew efforts for a Senate consideration and ratification of the CTBT.\n\nAll three of Nevada\u2019s Congressional Democrats are signatories on a previous Congressional letter sent November 3, 2025, expressing outrage at the administration\u2019s intent to test nuclear weapons. More information is available here.\n\nRepresentatives Horsford and Lee also co-led legislation introduced on November 7, 2025, requiring Congressional Approval for Explosive Nuclear Tests. More information is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://horsford.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-horsford-titus-lee-lead-demand-for-congressional-briefings-and-oversight-of-any-explosive-nuclear-testing"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.120485994964838, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}