[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 9 (Wednesday, February 2, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ACKNOWLEDGING STARTUP OF THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge a new beginning 
with significance not only for the State of Idaho, but for the entire 
Nation. I am speaking of the February 1, 2005, formal launch of the new 
Idaho National Laboratory.
  At the direction of the administration, the Idaho National 
Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Argonne National 
Laboratory-West, two esteemed research facilities that have served this 
country so well for over 55 years, are being combined to pursue even 
greater research and development heights as a single, cohesive 
enterprise. The new laboratory in Idaho has an unmatched foundation on 
which to pursue its Department of Energy-assigned vision of 
international nuclear leadership for the 21st century, compelling 
contributions in national and homeland security technology development, 
and execution of a broad supporting science and technology portfolio.
  Idaho is the place where the first usable amount of electricity from 
nuclear energy was generated. It is where the propulsion system for the 
first nuclear-powered submarine was developed. And it is where 52 
mostly first-of-their-kind, nuclear reactors were designed and 
constructed. Looking ahead, it is clearly a place well-qualified to 
implement the technology-based components of the national energy policy 
our Nation needs and that I hope this body will act on this year.
  The new Idaho National Laboratory is being managed by a team that 
draws expertise from companies and academic institutions across the 
Nation. The Battelle Energy Alliance is led by Battelle Memorial 
Institute of Ohio. Its partners include BWX Technologies of Virginia, 
Washington Group International of Idaho, the Electric Power Research 
Institute of California and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology led 
national consortium of universities including North Carolina State 
University, Ohio State University, Oregon State University, the 
University of New Mexico, and Idaho's three research universities--
Boise State University, Idaho State University, and the University of 
Idaho.
  The competition for managing the lab brought out the highest caliber 
of teams. With the Battelle Energy Alliance, we have a truly 
extraordinary national team, committed to collaborating broadly to 
ensure our collective interests in energy security, homeland security 
and economic security are well served by the new Idaho National 
Laboratory.

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