[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 19, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H6566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SELF-ENRICHMENT FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PRIVATIZATION

  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, just 2 weeks ago, the United States 
Enrichment Corporation made the devastating decision to close its 
uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, where nearly 2,000 
dedicated Americans work. This is devastating not only to my community 
and to my region of Ohio but it is devastating, I believe, to this 
country. Some 23 percent of all of the electricity that is generated in 
our country is generated through nuclear power plants. Nearly all of 
that material that is necessary to provide the fuel for these nuclear 
power plants comes from two sites, in Paducah, Kentucky, and in 
Piketon, Ohio.
  Until 2 years ago, the industry which produced this vital fuel for 
our Nation was under the ownership and control of the United States 
Government. We made the decision to privatize this vital industry. We 
did so with the hope and belief that the industry would thrive and that 
the private company would keep its obligations to this Nation and 
continue to operate the two plants through the year 2004. Sadly, the 
leadership of this new private company has broken faith with our 
government and with the American people, and they have announced that 
they are closing the Piketon plant.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear. I am upset about this because 
of its immediate impact upon my district and upon the men and women who 
work in the facility in my district. But I am equally concerned because 
this decision can have a terribly adverse effect upon this Nation in 
terms of our national security and in terms of our energy security.
  I am convinced that the management of this company cares for neither 
but simply is determined to do whatever it can to enrich itself, and 
the American people and the people who work in these plants can be 
damned.
  That is why I am very, very pleased that the gentleman from Virginia 
(Mr. Bliley), who is the chairman of the Committee on Commerce, has 
recently written the CEO of this private company, Mr. Nick Timbers, a 
letter in which he expresses concern and asks certain questions. I 
would like to share a couple of paragraphs from Chairman Bliley's 
letter to Mr. Nick Timbers. He says:
  ``Dear Mr. Timbers:
  ``As you know, the Commerce Committee is continuing its review of 
USEC privatization and its impact on our national security and the 
domestic uranium industry. I am writing to you with respect to recent 
troubling statements you have made on this subject and to obtain 
additional documents and information related to USEC privatization.''
  Then Mr. Bliley continues:
  ``Quoting the Wall Street Journal editorial dated Thursday, June 28, 
2000, you indicated that USEC's recent decision to close the Department 
of Energy's Portsmouth gaseous diffusion plant was made in response to 
congressional intent in privatization legislation. Specifically, you 
state that USEC's decision to close the Portsmouth plant was, quote, 
the reason Congress privatized the company, close quote.''
  Then Mr. Bliley says:
  ``I can assure you that this is not the case. A single operating 
gaseous diffusion plant with no credible plan for a succeeding 
enrichment technology is not what Congress intended for the privatized 
company.''
  My understanding is that we will have hearings this fall, and we will 
delve into the matters surrounding the privatization of this company. I 
think Mr. Timbers has some explaining to do, and I think those 
responsible for the decisions that led to privatization within this 
administration have some explaining to do. I think there was a 
terrible, unacceptable, conflict of interest that existed when Mr. 
Timbers was given the authority to advise and to consult and to give 
direction as to how this company would be privatized because the 
decisions that he made resulted in his self-enrichment. This man, who 
was making as a government employee approximately $350,000, ended up 
with a salary of some $2.48 million.

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