Provide Solution for Waste From Expanding Nuclear Power Plants

Floor Speech

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Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the House Energy Action Team, I am proud to rise here this evening to shed some light on our theme of the week, nuclear energy.

Georgia's 12th District is home to two nuclear power plants, Plant Vogtle and Plant Hatch. We are leading the way in the expansion of our Nation's nuclear resources with the first two nuclear reactors being built in 30 years currently under construction at Plant Vogtle.

After visiting Vogtle in March and witnessing the placement of the top of the unit 3 containment vessel, I can tell you that construction is full steam ahead. I look forward to units 3 and 4 coming online as soon as possible.

However, we currently have thousands of spent fuel rods being held in spent fuel pools and dry cask storage containers on these sites and around the country. We must have a permanent geological site, like Yucca Mountain, to manage our nuclear waste.

I cosponsored the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act, which provides a solution to this problem, and I urge Congress to act upon this bill as soon as possible.

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