[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 8, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  OPPOSE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 87 AND STOP THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT

  (Mr GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, today we will be deciding whether to ship 
high-level nuclear waste, one of the most dangerous and deadly 
substances known to man, across this great country by and through our 
roads and neighborhoods and schools and parkways.
  Mr. Speaker, today we must reject this dangerous plan. Whatever 
Members believe, let us look at some of the startling facts.
  According to the Department of Transportation itself, there have been 
over 11,000 train accidents in the past 5 years. It is estimated that 
at least one train accident occurs every 24 hours. Since 1998, 3,800 
people have lost their lives and more than 45,000 people have been 
injured in train accidents in the United States alone. Just imagine how 
many more people would die or could have been injured had these trains 
been carrying high-level nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain.
  Mr. Speaker, it takes only one antitank missile or one terrorist act 
to cause a catastrophic nuclear disaster, but today we can prevent that 
disaster. We can oppose House Joint Resolution 87 and stop the Yucca 
Mountain project now before we endanger the lives of thousands of 
innocent Americans.

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