Lisa Murkowski

We don't have the ability or the capability to do any of the separation here?

As a Nation that consumes 50 percent of these isotopes, what options do we have, if any?

Can somebody provide a clear understanding in terms of what our options in the United States may be for meeting the demand for the medical isotopes next year and recognizing what is happening with the facility in Canada?

Do you know when the last time was that the NRC licensed a new isotope processing center, facility?

We recognize that our hospitals and pharmacies are facing a shortage of molybdenum-99.

Now I also understand that domestic supply does not necessarily mean domestic supplier.

The reliability issue, of course, is key. When we talk about secure energy supplies, we know that, today we may be getting oil from Venezuela and they may be our friends and providing to us, but tomorrow, they may wake up on the other side…

We are not favoring reactors over accelerators or other neutron-capture technology.

If those EPA regulations don't go away, if EPA acts, what incentive is there for us to continue to pursue a climate policy, from the congressional perspective?

We need to understand what goes on within the volatility aspect.

Senator Murkowski, you raised those questions in your opening statement.

Senator Murkowski urged that--and to engage in a more general discussion to evaluate the pros and cons of various policy options.

I think we have a very narrow tax base and very high marginal tax rates. That, by all reasonable economic measures, inhibits economic growth.

The debate is, What price is that? A carbon tax, I think, sets it.

Mr. Chairman, my time is expired, but perhaps we can have a second round.

I think that, at this point, Congress has little choice but to do just that.

I think you--it just seems to me, you'd be so much better off focusing on either a carbon tax or absolutely no free allowances whatsoever, and just returning the money back to the American people.

I think a carbon tax is--gives you more certainty on the price.

As we are looking to how we define the carbon price signal, in the discussion this morning about permits and allocations, we recognize that you have real value with these permits.

Additional layers of bureaucratic regulation that may be duplicative, inefficient, or counterproductive should be taken off the table.

We also support the legislation's phase-out of highly enriched uranium exports, given the safeguards in the legislation for its temporary continued use during a period of insufficient supply of molybdenum-99.

Go elsewhere to nations to where the environmental regulations are not near as stringent.

In my view, environmental regulations in the U.S. are amongst the most stringent that we see anywhere in the world.

I would say that the U.S. programs are the most comprehensive and--'strict' would probably be appropriate word to use, as well--in the world.

I commend you for the efforts that have been made to really play out the technologies so that you're able to gain the resource while at the same time working to care for the environment.