[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 108 (Tuesday, July 19, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1353]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2354) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Chair, earlier today, during consideration of H.R. 
2354, Ms. Capps offered an amendment that would have required peer-
reviewed seismic studies to be completed and lessons learned from the 
Japanese nuclear disaster before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
considers an application to renew the operating licenses for the Diablo 
Canyon nuclear power plant in California. I thought this was a 
reasonable approach. Unfortunately, that amendment was ruled out of 
order. Though this second Capps amendment is less precise than the 
original amendment, I support it because I believe it is crucial that 
the necessary seismic studies be completed and considered during the 
license renewal process. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must have a 
comprehensive understanding of what went wrong at the Fukushima Daiichi 
reactors and access to the latest scientific information in order to 
ensure that Diablo Canyon can be safely operated after the current 
licenses expire in 2024 and 2025. I urge my colleagues to support this 
amendment.

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