[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 19 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H637-H638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to put an end to the claims 
from opponents of used nuclear fuel disposal who say transporting the 
material is unsafe. These claims have become louder since President 
Bush made a decision to move forward with the disposing of nuclear 
waste in Yucca Mountain. The truth is their concerns are misguided. You 
cannot argue with the fact that almost 3,000 safe shipments of used 
nuclear fuel have taken place without any release of radioactive 
material. That is right. On some 3,000 occasions used fuel has traveled 
by truck or rail across this country including almost 500 in my home 
State of Illinois. And the reason you probably have not heard about 
this is because not one of these shipments has threatened the 
environment or public safety.
  States like Illinois have gone to great lengths to set up a system 
that

[[Page H638]]

will ensure safe transportation of nuclear waste through the State and 
across State lines. Transporting spend nuclear fuel is safe. It has 
been proven to be safe, and there is no reason to doubt that it will 
remain safe.

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