[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12643-S12644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I stand today to recognize the 
achievements and progress of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in 
Paducah, KY. On October 20, 1997, Industry Week Magazine named the 
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant one of America's top 10 plants. This 
would be a greater honor for any manufacturer, but I feel that it is 
particularly remarkable for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. When 
producing a potentially dangerous material like enriched uranium, 
extensive safety precautions have to be their first priority. The 
uranium they produce is shipped not only throughout the United States, 
but worldwide as well, to be used in the nuclear fuel cycle.
  The 275 plants nominated for this honor were judged in 14 areas 
including productivity, quality of product, employee involvement, cost 
reduction, and customer focus. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is 
impressive in all of these areas, and their performance has improved 
immensely over the past 5 years. In 1993, analysts predicted that the 
plant would have to close in the early 21st century, but continuous 
improvements have put an end to this speculation. There has been a 65-
percent reduction in injuries over the past 5 years, a reduction in 
environmental concerns, and an impressive 100-percent on-time 
production delivery rate.
  The 1,800 workers of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, most of 
which are Kentuckians, are truly to be commended. These workers and 
their management team have visited other quality plants for innovative 
ideas about how to improve their own production. They have formed over 
30 problem-solving teams, solicited and acted on advice from employees, 
and engaged in extensive and continual annual training. The positive 
labor-management relationship has successfully turned the

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750-acre facility into thriving, cost-controlled, internationally 
competitive business. They have worked remarkably well on a daily basis 
with inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as with 
officials from the U.S. Enrichment Corp. The U.S. Enrichment Corp., 
which manages both the Paducah and the Pikeville, OH, plants, supplies 
80 percent of the nuclear fuel for nuclear plants in the United States, 
and maintains 44 percent of the world enrichment market.
  I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and thanks to the 
employees of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The plant's 
appropriate slogan is ``Survive and Thrive,'' and they have done just 
that. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant not only provides jobs and 
benefits to western Kentuckians, but it helps the United States remain 
self-reliant for our nuclear fuel production.

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