{
  "id": "RL31861",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31861",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 103310,
      "date": "2003-09-09",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:38:28.842544",
      "title": "High-Threat Chemical Agents: Characteristics, Effects, and Policy Implications",
      "summary": "Terrorist use of chemical agents has been a noted concern, highlighted after the Tokyo Sarin gas\nattacks of 1995. The events of September 11, 2001, increased Congressional attention towards\nreducing the vulnerability of the United States to such attacks. High-threat chemical agents, which\ninclude chemical weapons and some toxic industrial chemicals, are normally organized by military\nplanners into four groups: nerve agents, blister agents, choking agents, and blood agents. While the\nrelative military threat posed by the various chemical types has varied over time, use of these\nchemicals against civilian targets is viewed as a low probability, high consequence event.\n  High-threat chemical agents, depending on the type of agent used, cause a variety of symptoms\nin their victims. Some cause death by interfering with the nervous system. Some inhibit breathing\nand lead to asphyxiation. Others have caustic effects on contact. As a result, chemical attack\ntreatment may be complicated by the need to identify at least the type of chemical used. Differences\nin treatment protocols for the various high-threat agents may also strain the resources of the public\nhealth system, especially in the case of mass casualties. Additionally, chemical agents trapped on\nthe body or clothes of victims may place first responders and medical professionals at risk.\n  Protection from and detection of chemical agents is an area of much concern. The range of\nprotection and detection equipment available to first responders has led to questions regarding\nequipment standardization and state and local preparedness.\n  Whether terrorist groups are capable of using chemical agents as weapons of mass destruction\nis unclear. Some have asserted that the volumes of chemicals required to cause mass casualties\nwould make that scenario unlikely. They claim that chemical terrorism is more likely to be small\nin scale. Others have suggested that there has been an increase in terrorist interest regarding\nchemical agents, and that this interest could lead to their use in terrorist attacks.\n  Current policies seek to reduce the proliferation of chemicals that could be transformed into\nchemical weapons, prevent unrestricted access to large amounts of toxic chemicals, provide federal\nassistance to locations that are affected by chemical terrorism, and support research and development\nactivities. It is expected that the Department of Homeland Security will take a major role in federal\npolicy efforts.\n  Additional measures suggested for addressing potential chemical terrorism vulnerabilities\ninclude further restricting domestic access to precursor chemicals and technologies required to\nmanufacture high-threat chemical agents; directing continued research and development into\nselective, sensitive chemical agent detectors; implementing air monitoring equipment to detect\nchemical releases in, for example, public transportation or urban spaces; and overseeing further\nresearch into protective equipment, prophylaxis, and treatment against high-threat chemicals. This\nreport will be updated as circumstances warrant.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31861",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Intelligence and National Security",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}