WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., today celebrated the 60th anniversary of Sandia National Laboratory during a reception at the U.S. Capitol hosted by the laboratory and attended by government and scientific leaders from New Mexico and Washington, DC.
The reception commemorated the accomplishments of Sandia since its 1949 establishment as an independent laboratory charged with ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. In addition to its work on developing and maintaining the United States’ nuclear deterrent, Sandia also has created technologies for treaty verification, international arms control, energy security, cooperative threat reduction, and homeland security.
“From national security developments to the advent of the supercomputing age to scientific achievements in every area, Sandia has been a national leader always on the cutting edge of research,” Udall said. “Even today, we see Sandia taking charge in developing new avenues of alternative energy research and providing new means and methods for cyber security – all while remaining committed to its core mission of providing a secure nuclear stockpile, a role which places Sandia at the forefront of President Obama’s efforts to reduce the threat posed by nuclear materials around the world.”
Also in attendance were Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND); and Congressman Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
