Lisa Murkowski: “we are again faced with the decision of whether to put off an obligation that we have to store nuclear waste that is…”

“we are again faced with the decision of whether to put off an obligation that we have to store nuclear waste that is threatening our industry or just talk some more. If we reflect on reality, we will find that the last time this issue came before the Senate we had 64 votes in favor. There was one Senator who was absent. We anticipate that Senator to be here today, so we anticipate approximately 65 votes. In the House, it passed 253-167. So, clearly, a majority in the House and Senate have spoken on this issue. We have before us the question of the President's veto on the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. I say that the President is wrong. He is wrong for the environment, wrong for the U.S. energy policy, wrong for the economy, and he is wrong for international security. This has become pretty much a political issue on the floor--whether to override the President's veto and do what is right. What is right is to address the responsibility that we have to the taxpayers of this country. I urge every Member of this body to reflect on the obligation that he or she has at this time. We have a situation where, as a consequence of the inability of the Federal Government to take the waste, which was to occur in 1998, we have a breach of contract with several of our utility companies. That breach of contract has resulted in liability and damages--damages that are assessed now at somewhere between $40 billion and $80 billion.…”