[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 97 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H5915-H5916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMISSION BY SECRETARY OF ENERGY OF PLAN FOR DISPOSITION OF DEPLETED
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the
Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2316) to require the Secretary of
Energy to submit to Congress a plan to ensure that all amounts accrued
on the books of the United States Enrichment Corporation for the
disposition of depleted uranium hexafluoride will be used to treat and
recycle depleted uranium hexafluoride, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, in order
to allow the gentleman to explain his request, I yield to the gentleman
for an explanation.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Ohio's
request for an explanation.
Mr. Speaker, this bill requires the Secretary of Energy to submit a
plan to ensure that monies already accrued by the United States
Enrichment Corporation are utilized for their intended purpose, and
that is the cleanup of depleted uranium hexafluoride waste. The
corporation is nearing privatization. Without congressional action,
there is no mechanism to ensure that monies will be available to deal
with the cleanup of depleted uranium.
Since the bill was passed in the Senate, the Committee on Commerce
has had discussions with the Department of Energy, the Department of
Treasury, and the Office of Management and Budget to discuss this
legislation. It is my understanding the administration has no objection
to S. 2316, and I recommend its approval by the House to ensure that
the money accrued by USEC will be spent for its intended purpose.
Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, further reserving my right to object, I
yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning) for a further
explanation.
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for
yielding.
I also would like to strongly support Senate bill 2316, which will
ensure that the funds collected over the years by the U.S. Enrichment
Corporation for the cleanup of spent uranium canisters in Paducah,
Kentucky will be used for their intended purpose.
This bill will not only save American taxpayers millions of dollars
in possible future cleanup, but more importantly, it protects hundreds
of jobs in my State.
By passing this bill today, the House will set in motion a plan that
will one day lead to the construction and operation of a new uranium
cleanup facility in Paducah, Kentucky and Portsmouth, Ohio that will
treat and recycle depleted uranium hexafluoride. This will clearly make
our community safer from this environmental hazard.
I am glad to see that the House is taking quick action on this
matter, because without our effort the nearly $400 million in cleanup
money that has been set aside by the USEC could be lost.
I would like to thank the majority leader; the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Bliley); the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kasich); the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell); and all of those that had
something to do with bringing this bill to the floor in this expedited
manner.
Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, further reserving my right to object,
although I do not intend to object, I would like to take an opportunity
to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield),
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning), and the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Baesler) for working with me to make this unanimous
consent possible.
What this will accomplish is very important. It means that money that
was collected for the cleanup will be used for its intended purpose.
Jobs will be created in the Piketon, Ohio and the Paducah, Kentucky
communities, jobs that are desperately needed by those who may lose
their jobs as a result of the privatization of this industry. These are
men and women who have helped our country win the Cold War and we need
to look out after their well-being.
This bill will also make it possible for our constituents in Piketon,
Ohio, and Paducah, Kentucky to live in safer, healthier communities,
and for that we should all be thankful.
Mr. BAESLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 2316,
a bill critical to Kentucky families. While plans for privatization of
the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) are underway on Wall
Street, folks in Kentucky are worried about their future. If the USEC
is privatized, hundreds of jobs could be lost between two facilities
located in Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky. Passage of this bill
is essential to show these hard working families that privitization can
also mean job creation.
Fees have been collected from utility customers of the United States
Enrichment Corporation to pay for the cost of cleaning up depleted
uranium hexaflouride ``tails'' or waste. If USEC is privatized, the
money that has already been set aside would revert back to the U.S.
Department of Treasury. It would be an injustice and simply unfair if
the money is not used for its intended purpose of cleaning up the
tails--55 percent of which are stored in Paducah. Under this
legislation, the money from the fee collection would be used to
construct an on-site facility for disposing of the
[[Page H5916]]
tails and, importantly, this site could re-employ those workers who
would be displaced upon privatization. In addition, by creating the
facility on site, the risks involved with the transportation of
hazardous wastes are eliminated.
Uncertainty and fear have invaded these communities whose jobs and
livelihoods are tied to the USEC. Families are worried about their
future. Today, in Congress, we have the opportunity to provide some
hope for these individuals. Passage of S. 2316 will fence off
approximately $400 million to be used to clean up the tails. Between
construction, operation, and management of these facilities, hundreds
of jobs can be created. This legislation is one small way we can help
build a bridge to provide continued employment in the community. It is
an opportunity to show these families we care about their future.
Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:
S. 2316
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION.
(a) Plan.--The Secretary of Energy shall prepare, and the
President shall include in the budget request for fiscal year
2000, a plan and proposed legislation to ensure that all
amounts accrued on the books of the United States Enrichment
Corporation for the disposition of depleted uranium
hexafluoride will be used to commence construction of, not
later than January 31, 2004, and to operate, an onsite
facility at each of the gaseous diffusion plants at Paducah,
Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio, to treat and recycle depleted
uranium hexafluoride consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act.
(b) Limitation.--Notwithstanding the privatization of the
United States Enrichment Corporation and notwithstanding any
other provision of law (including the repeal of chapters 22
through 26 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2297
et seq.) made by section 3116(a)(1) of the United States
Enrichment Corporation Privatization Act (104 Stat. 1321-
349), no amounts described in subsection (a) shall be
withdrawn from the United States Enrichment Corporation Fund
established by section 1308 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954
(42 U.S.C. 2297b-7) or the Working Capital Account
established under section 1316 of the Atomic Energy Act of
1954 (42 U.S.C. 2297b-15) until the date that is 1 year after
the date on which the President submits to Congress the
budget request for fiscal year 2000.
(c) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate
that Congress should authorize appropriations during fiscal
year 2000 in an amount sufficient to fully fund the plan
described in subsection (a).
The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.
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