SENATE RESOLUTION

                             1999-8650

By Senators Hale, Loveland, Sheahan and Rasmussen

     WHEREAS, Cancer kills more than one-half million Americans each year; and

     WHEREAS, Conventional treatments for cancer are costly, time-consuming, and can have harmful side effects; and

     WHEREAS, Clinical trials are currently underway to develop alternative cancer treatments using radioisotopes to effectively destroy cancer cells while leaving most healthy cells intact; and

     WHEREAS, Success of these new treatment techniques have indicated the need for a dependable supply of radioisotopes; and  

     WHEREAS, The United States has not produced enough radioisotopes to meet the demand; and

     WHEREAS, Patients in Seattle were refused prostate cancer treatment due to lack of medical isotopes; and

     WHEREAS, Promising research was stopped due to the lack of supply of medical isotopes; and

     WHEREAS, Numerous independent studies have suggested that the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)at Hanford could be used to produce cancer-curing medical isotopes; and

     WHEREAS, The FFTF is presently being maintained in a stand-by mode; and

     WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Energy has announced their decision to further evaluate the FFTF for civilian means which include medical isotope production, advanced material research and other research and development programs;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize and applaud the federal plans to fully evaluate the FFTF for use in meeting critical national research needs.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1999-8650,

adopted by the Senate March 15, 1999.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate