A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE AN INTERIM LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislative council in 2002 created a Los Alamos national laboratory oversight committee and named members of the public to a citizens advisory group to assist the committee; and

WHEREAS, the committee received testimony during the interim on the composition of the workforce at the laboratory, the employee skills desired by managers at the laboratory, other workforce issues, environmental concerns and the efforts being made by public schools and institutions of higher education to assist students in acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to gain employment at the laboratory; and

WHEREAS, the citizens advisory group named to assist the oversight committee began an examination of educational needs to prepare New Mexico students for employment at the laboratory and identified other workforce issues and environmental concerns; and

WHEREAS, the citizens advisory group can help the oversight committee focus on long-term solutions to increase minority employment and promotion opportunities for current employees and the employees terminated during the 1995 reduction in force at the laboratory and long-term solutions to environmental concerns; and

WHEREAS, the citizens advisory group expects that its work will continue until at least the middle of 2003; and

WHEREAS, it is expected that the senate of the state of California will create a committee to oversee the operation of Los Alamos national laboratory and other national laboratories operated by the university of California, and the New Mexico and California oversight committees have met jointly in the past;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to create a Los Alamos national laboratory oversight committee to continue the work begun in the 2002 interim and to meet as necessary with members of the comparable California committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairmen of the New Mexico legislative council, the president pro tempore of the California senate, the president of the university of California and the director of Los Alamos national laboratory.