[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 197 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 197

  Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Department of Energy 
   should suspend spent nuclear fuel and radioactive target material 
                        reprocessing activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 1996

    Mr. Markey (for himself and Mr. Shays) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
and in addition to the Committee on National Security, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Department of Energy 
   should suspend spent nuclear fuel and radioactive target material 
                        reprocessing activities.

Whereas reprocessing is a procedure used to separate plutonium and highly 
        enriched uranium from spent nuclear fuel;
Whereas plutonium and highly enriched uranium constitute the fundamental 
        materials used in a nuclear weapon;
Whereas the United States engaged in reprocessing in support of its nuclear 
        weapons program from 1945 until 1992;
Whereas in the years after 1992, the need for further reprocessing for military 
        purposes has been obviated by significant reductions in the United 
        States nuclear weapons arsenal;
Whereas reprocessing has been proposed as a means for the management of spent 
        nuclear fuel and radioactive target material;
Whereas in recognition of the serious proliferation risks associated with 
        reprocessing, the United States has renounced reprocessing for either 
        civilian or military purposes;
Whereas reprocessing poses a danger to the environment, since reprocessing 
        creates additional radioactive wastes;
Whereas the economic costs of reprocessing are high, and more cost-effective 
        alternatives may be available for spent nuclear fuel management;
Whereas the Department of Energy has requested approximately $300,000,000 for 
        reprocessing activities at the Savannah River site in South Carolina and 
        $50,000,000 for a new form of reprocessing called pyroprocessing 
        activities at Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho; and
Whereas the Department of Energy has not sufficiently explored the alternative 
        methods for treatment of spent nuclear fuel which may prove to be more 
        cost-effective, environmentally sound, and proliferation resistant than 
        reprocessing: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the Department of Energy 
should suspend its spent nuclear fuel and radioactive target material 
reprocessing activities and postpone plans for further reprocessing.
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