China: Suspected Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapon Secrets

CRS-29
but Representative Cox countered that Habiger had not provided Congress with a
detailed plan for how the additional millions would be used. 99
The first official to lose his job as a result of the Los Alamos controversy was
Victor Reis, the Assistant Energy Secretary in charge of defense programs since
1993, who resigned on June 25, 1999. 100 Testifying before the House Armed
Services Committee on July 14, 1999, Reis acknowledged that he had “some
responsibility” for the security problems and he “could have pressed harder” to
strengthen security, but asserted that many other officials at DOE and FBI share the
blame. 101
In July 1999, DOE instituted a new policy to require DOE employees with
security clearances to report any “close and continuing contacts” with foreigners from
the sensitive countries on DOE’s list. 102 Also in July, Richardson issued revised
procedures to more closely monitor visits and assignments of foreign nationals to
DOE’s facilities, as part of implementing PDD-61. Lab directors no longer had
authority to grant waivers of DOE security requirements, and only the Secretary had
authority to approve waivers. Richardson also derided discrimination against
Americans of Asian Pacific heritage, saying that the new order only affected foreign
citizens, not Americans. 103
On August 12, 1999, Richardson announced the results of an internal DOE
inquiry by the inspector general and ordered that three individuals be disciplined.
(See Law Enforcement vs. Security below.)
In October 1999, Richardson decided to narrow the scope of controversial
polygraph tests, originally considered for over 5,000 lab employees, so that about
1,000 people working in the most sensitive areas, primarily at the three nuclear
weapon laboratories, would be tested. They included nuclear weapon designers,
security and counterintelligence officials, employees at nuclear weapon production
plants, and political appointees at DOE headquarters. 104 In December 1999,
Richardson narrowed the number to about 800 employees who would have to take
the lie-detector test. 105
99 Suro, Roberto, “Energy’s Security Initiative Lacks Fuel,” Washington Post, December 2,
1999.
100 Pincus, Walter, “Nuclear Officials’ Future Uncertain,” Washington Post, June 25, 1999.
101 Pincus, Walter, “Plenty of Blame to Go Around on Spying, DOE’s Ex-Arms Chief Says,”
Washington Post, July 15, 1999.
102 Pincus, Walter and Vernon Loeb, “Isn’t It Romantic: Security Rules Exempt One-Night
Stands,” Washington Post, September 2, 1999.
103 DOE, news release, “Richardson Toughens Requirements for Unclassified Foreign Visits
and Assignments,” July 14, 1999.
104 Pincus, Walter, “Richardson Cuts Lab Lie Tests Sharply,” Washington Post, October 16,
1999.
105 DOE, “DOE Polygraph Implementation Plan Announced,” press release, December 13,
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