Lummis Examines Energy Department Uranium Transfers

Today U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis, Chairman of Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on the Interior, held a hearing to investigate the Department of Energy's (DOE) uranium sales used to fund the cleanup of federal nuclear enrichment sites. The DOE has on several occasions in recent years flooded the uranium market with excess federal uranium to generate cash to spend outside of Congress's appropriations process. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Department lacks the statutory authority to conduct these sales. These unchecked sales disrupt the uranium market and cost uranium miners their jobs. The uranium sales are also highly inefficient and have generated returns far lower than their market potential, denying taxpayers the returns they should expect from such a valuable asset.

"The DOE's uranium transfers have hurt Wyoming's uranium industry, deprived the American people of the best value for these assets, and bypassed Congress' control of the purse," said Chairman Lummis. "For too long, the Department has abused this asset, using shady contracts to generate quick cash without regard for the taxpayer or the American men and women working in the uranium industry. We aren't going to lessen our almost 90 percent reliance on foreign uranium so long as DOE uses the uranium inventory as a slush fund and ignores their legal obligation not to disrupt the market. Wyoming is home to massive deposits of uranium that can help wean us off foreign sources if the federal government would stop standing in the way. I was pleased to work in a bipartisan fashion today to shed much needed light on this troubled program, which is in dire need of reform."

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