Congress takes new steps to minimize mail risk

By Dana Bash
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle says new precautions are being taken to protect congressional staff workers after dozens of workers reported illness after opening mail that had been irradiated to kill anthrax and other potentially harmful substances.

The U.S. Postal Service began irradiating the mail after a Daschle aide opened an anthrax-laden letter in October.

Since then, some 100 House and Senate workers have reported ailments, from itchy and burning hands and eyes to nausea to rashes, after opening the mail. Some aides theorize that the chemicals used in the irradiation process may be reacting with components in letters and envelopes, such as glue.

Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said four of his employees suffered from "some strange maladies" in December, including "red blotches on their skin" and watery eyes for a few hours after opening the irradiated mail. An aide to Stevens said the workers were in his Anchorage, Alaska, office where his mail was sent to be opened.

"Some of our mail was coming in totally black when we opened it," Stevens said. "Some of my Christmas cards when I finally got them were disintegrated when we opened them.

Officials maintain there is no evidence the chemicals used to treat the mail are causing any illness.

Daschle, D-South Dakota, said that as a precaution, the postal authorities are using lower levels of irradiation and are allowing mail to air out after being irradiated for a longer period of time before distribution.

"So those two actions have apparently at least given us the impression (that the mail safety issue is being addressed. Again as I say, we can't really make any direct connection between any of these actions, but no new cases of illness have been reported," Daschle said.

A congressional task force led by the Senate sergeant-at-arms is under way to collect information and reports of illness to help determine the cause, but have not yet filed a final report.

"We just want to be careful, but they tell us this should not happen anymore because the radiation on the mail should be reduced," said Stevens following a briefing from task force members.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, who has also reported sick staffers and has been pushing officials to be "pro-active" in finding out why, told CNN this weekend she has asked the University of California to study the issue.