[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 92 (Monday, July 17, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H6090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TAKE BACK CONTROL OF URANIUM ENRICHING FACILITIES BEFORE AMERICA 
            BECOMES DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN SOURCES FOR ENERGY

  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 represent a district in Southern Ohio 
that is a part of the Appalachian area. I am very proud of my 
constituents.
  Many of my constituents throughout the long years of the Cold War 
worked at a facility in southern Ohio which enriches uranium. During 
the early days of the Cold War, that facility enriched uranium which 
went into our nuclear weapons. In more recent years, that facility has 
produced enriched uranium necessary to create the fuel that produces 
the nuclear power generated in this country, the electricity through 
nuclear power.
  Two years ago, this administration and this Congress privatized that 
industry; and just a few weeks ago, this new privatized corporation 
announced that it was closing the facility in my district, thereby 
terminating the employment of some nearly 2,000 men and women. These 
are individuals who have served our country well. Many of them have 
been exposed to dangerous chemicals and to radiation. They have 
developed cancers. Many have lost their lives.
  Later on this week, Mr. Speaker, I am introducing legislation which 
will set in motion a process whereby this government can once again 
assume ownership of this industry. Why would I do this, and why is it 
important to the economic and energy security of our Nation? It is 
because some 23 percent of the electricity generated in this country is 
generated through nuclear power. Only two facilities in this country 
enrich the uranium which is necessary to produce the fuel for these 
nuclear power plants.
  The direction of this privatized corporation troubles me. I am very 
concerned that their ultimate goal is not to be producers of enriched 
uranium, but simply to become brokers of enriched uranium. It is my 
concern that their ultimate goal is, not only to close my facility, but 
also to close the facility in Paducah, Kentucky.
  If that were to happen, Mr. Speaker, this Nation would become totally 
dependent on foreign sources for at least 20 percent of all of the 
electricity that is generated in this country. We cannot let that 
happen. As a body, as a group of elected Representatives of the people, 
we must not allow ourselves to become dependent on foreign sources for 
a huge portion of all of the electricity generated within this country.
  I am calling tonight upon my colleagues to join me in the 
introduction of this legislation. It is essential and necessary. We 
made a mistake when we privatized this vital industry. We made a 
mistake when we turned it over to the private sector who are not 
necessarily loyal to this country or to the objectives of this 
government. They are not necessarily loyal to the energy security need 
of this Nation. Their primary objective is to their investors and their 
stockholders.
  I am deeply troubled, Mr. Speaker, that the individual that oversaw 
the privatization process, the individual who was the CEO of the public 
corporation before it became private, was dealing with a major, major 
conflict of interest. As a government employee, he was making 
approximately $350,000 a year. Once this became a privatized 
corporation, his salary skyrocketed to $2.48 million a year. Not only 
that, but he convinced the board of directors to give him a golden 
parachute of $3.6 million. If he is fired or he loses his job, he can 
walk away with $3.6 million.
  The workers in my district, many of them who have served this country 
as Cold War warriors who have exposed themselves to dangerous 
conditions, are being terminated of their jobs, many with only weeks to 
go before they qualify for retirement. It is simply wrong. It is wrong 
for my constituents. It is wrong for this Nation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in the efforts to once again take 
over the ownership of this vital industry and protect our country from 
being so totally dependent on foreign sources for energy.

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