[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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