NYT Editorial: A Small but Dangerous Clause

At a time when world leaders are struggling to keep dangerous nuclear materials from terrorists and rogue nations, a devious provision in the energy bill now in Congress heads in the opposite direction. The provision would weaken controls on exporting bomb-grade uranium to plants abroad for use in making medical isotopes - radioactive materials used to diagnose and treat various illnesses. The measure is described as vital to keep the isotopes flowing, but its real purpose is to exempt isotope producers from pressure to work toward using safer forms of uranium.

The highly enriched uranium serves as "target" material that is irradiated in a reactor to produce the medical isotopes. Each year, the major isotope producers use or stockpile enough target material to make a small number of bombs. Arms controllers hope to convert the plants to low-enriched uranium that cannot be used in weapons, thus eliminating any risk of theft by terrorists or renegade nations.