[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H5815-H5816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROTECTING AMERICA'S NUCLEAR ENERGY SUPPLIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about a subject that is 
of great importance to those who are Members of this House, but also to 
every citizen in this country.
  Some 2 years ago, a decision was made to privatize the uranium 
enrichment industry in this country. The individual who oversaw that 
privatization, Mr. Nick Timbers, as a government employee was 
compensated around $350,000 per year. After privatization occurred, Mr. 
Timbers' salary went to approximately $2.48 million a year. I think it 
was a terrible conflict of interest to allow an individual who was in a 
position to enrich himself to be involved in the decisions which led 
this industry from being privatized.
  The results of privatization have been very, very grave to this 
country. The American citizen needs to know that approximately 23 
percent of all of the electricity generated in this country is 
generated through nuclear power, and, as a result of decisions being 
made by this privatized company, we are in danger of losing the 
capacity to enrich uranium and to create the fuel necessary to produce 
23 percent of our Nation's electricity.
  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is charged with doing an analysis, 
and they must do an analysis to determine whether or not this private 
company can be depended upon to continue to produce a reliable domestic 
supply of nuclear fuel needed to meet our Nation's needs. It has come 
to my attention that the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has 
done their analysis and has taken that analysis to members of the 
commission, but they have been sent back to the drawing board, so-to-
speak.
  In the interim period, it has also come to my attention that the 
management of this new privatized corporation, and I have been told 
that specifically Mr. Timbers himself, is trying to interfere with the 
conclusions of the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Put 
simply, this private company is now arguing that ``domestic'' does not 
include simply the material that is produced within the United States 
of America, but they are arguing that we should also include the 
material that is being imported from Russia as a part of the ``domestic 
supply.'' They are also arguing that ``reliable'' does not mean the 
ability to produce 100 percent of our Nation's needs, but ``reliable'' 
could mean 60 percent or 50 percent or 40 percent of our Nation's 
needs.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important that this Congress not allow this 
external influence to affect the conclusions reached by the staff of 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It is important for us as a Congress 
and it is important for this administration to say very clearly that 
``domestic'' means the material that is produced within the continental 
United States. We cannot depend upon Russia to meet our domestic needs.
  We should also make it clear that when we talk about reliable, we 
mean 100 percent of our Nation's needs should be met, not 60 percent 
nor 40 percent.
  These are esoteric matters, but they are important matters, because 
if this Congress does not take responsible action, and if this 
administration does not take responsible action, we could find 
ourselves in a relatively short period of time being dependent upon 
foreign sources, especially Russian sources, for the fuel that it takes 
to generate 23 percent of our Nation's electricity.
  Mr. Speaker, we know what happens when we rely too heavily upon 
foreign sources for oil. Gasoline prices skyrocket. But this Congress 
now has an

[[Page H5816]]

opportunity to prevent a calamity, to prevent a disaster from 
happening.
  I am just beseeching my colleagues in this House to pay attention to 
this critical issue. Do not let this industry disintegrate. We must 
protect the enrichment industry in this country, we must protect the 
mining industry, we must protect the conversion industry in this 
country. If we do not, if we do not, in a few short years this country 
could find itself in an untenable situation where we must depend 
totally upon foreign sources for some 23 percent of our Nation's 
electricity. We cannot let that happen.
  Mr. Speaker, I beg my colleagues, I beg my colleagues, to pay 
attention to this vital issue.

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