[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 141 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 141

Recognizing the essential role of nuclear power in the national energy 
policy of the United States and supporting the increased use of nuclear 
power and the construction and development of new and improved nuclear 
                        power generating plants.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 6, 2004

  Mr. Domenici (for himself, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
Graham of South Carolina, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Voinovich, 
 Mr. Pryor, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Alexander) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the essential role of nuclear power in the national energy 
policy of the United States and supporting the increased use of nuclear 
power and the construction and development of new and improved nuclear 
                        power generating plants.

Whereas the Energy Information Administration in the Department of Energy 
        estimates that by 2025 the United States will need more than 300,000 
        megawatts of new electricity-generating capacity to maintain its current 
        levels of growth and standards of living;
Whereas Vision 2020, the nuclear energy industry's plan to increase the use of 
        nuclear energy through the year 2020 to meet the projected growth in the 
        demand for electricity, calls for maintaining the Nation's nonemitting 
        electricity generation at 30 percent, which would require 50,000 
        megawatts of new nuclear power to be generated;
Whereas meeting the increasing demand for continuous and reliable, or baseload, 
        electricity is essential for supporting the economic growth which is 
        necessary to maintain the Nation's standard of living;
Whereas even the aggressive implementation of energy-efficiency initiatives 
        cannot replace the need for new electricity-generating capacity;
Whereas nuclear power generated by the 103 commercial nuclear power plants 
        operating in the United States provides the electricity for 20 percent 
        of the United States;
Whereas consumers of nuclear power enjoy a higher level of price stability 
        compared to consumers of other energy sources;
Whereas nuclear power plants do not produce harmful emissions or greenhouse 
        gases and can provide States, and the Nation as a whole, with 
        flexibility in meeting goals for clean air and economic growth at lower 
        costs than other sources of power;
Whereas increasing nuclear power generation will require designing and building 
        new plants as well as operating the new facilities, which together will 
        create thousands of new jobs;
Whereas the nuclear power industry, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear 
        Regulatory Commission are working together to demonstrate the 
        effectiveness of a new licensing process for nuclear power plants, which 
        allows full public participation in decisions about the designs and 
        sites of new nuclear power plants without causing delays in construction 
        or commercial operation;
Whereas nuclear energy, science, and technology applications are vital in the 
        diagnosis and treatment of disease, food and mail safety, space 
        exploration, structural inspection, and other important applications;
Whereas for decades, commercial nuclear power generating facilities have had an 
        unmatched safety record;
Whereas nuclear power plants in the United States use excess material from 
        Russian weapons programs to generate power, which is a vital component 
        of United States nonproliferation policy;
Whereas many countries intend to build new nuclear power plants, with 29 new 
        plants currently under construction worldwide and more than twice that 
        many being planned, and the United States must continue to play a 
        leadership role both in domestic nuclear power production and in 
        encouraging the use of nuclear power in other countries; and
Whereas the United States continues to lead the world in the development, use, 
        and control of nuclear technology: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the essential role of nuclear power in the 
        national energy policy of the United States; and
            (2) supports the increased use of nuclear power and the 
        construction and development of new and improved nuclear power 
        generating plants as a means of contributing to national energy 
        independence and maintaining a clean environment.
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