WASHINGTON, D.C., April 21, 1999—The following is
a statement by Nuclear Energy Institute Vice President John
Kane in response to today's 40-6 vote in favor of the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act of 1999 (H.R. 45) by the House Commerce
Committee.
"Congress took an important, bipartisan step today to fix
the federal government's nuclear waste management program. The
legislation approved overwhelmingly by the House Commerce
Committee goes a considerable way toward meeting the
government's responsibility to safely manage and isolate used
fuel from the commercial nuclear power plants that provide
one-fifth of our nation's electricity. We applaud the
bipartisan approach that members took in dealing with this
difficult issue.
"As this legislation advances to the next stage in the
process, the industry will look to work with members and staff
on continued refinements, some of which were raised today. The
industry thanks Chairman Bliley and Congressmen (Joe) Barton,
(John) Dingell and (Ralph) Hall, in particular, for their
leadership in addressing one of the nation's foremost
environmental priorities."
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