Cliff Stearns: “The generation IV nuclear energy systems program is the next far, far generation program. We have been waiting and…”

“The generation IV nuclear energy systems program is the next far, far generation program. We have been waiting and working for the generation III program. This is about the generation IV after that, which is 2030. There is a lot of money in this that is going to be used to develop energy far into the future, and yet we have in the present nuclear power program of 2010, we have need for this money here and today. I point this out to my colleagues, particularly on that side of the aisle, that if we don't get enough money to the nuclear power 2010 program, power plants across this country will be forced to build gas and coal-burning power plants to meet the ever-growing energy demands of this Nation. So if you really want to reduce greenhouse gases, I think you should support my amendment because you are basically taking this money, $20 million, from the generation IV nuclear systems energy account which has been funded at almost $80 million above the President's budget request, and you are simply transferring it to the nuclear power 2010 account which is funded almost $34 million below the President's budget request.”