Sam Gibbons: “this week we will have an opportunity to once again protect our Nation, our citizens, and our environment by voting no…”

“this week we will have an opportunity to once again protect our Nation, our citizens, and our environment by voting no on S. 1287, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act. If passed, Mr. Speaker, S. 1287 will launch the largest nuclear waste shipping program in human history. A no vote will send a clear message that we do not support transporting the world's deadliest material, nuclear waste, through our Nation's cities, near our children's schools, and through our rural communities. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation reported that in a 10- year period there were almost 100,000 transportation accidents releasing hazardous materials; 100,000. Just imagine the consequences of a transport accident involving nuclear fuel containing massive amounts of radioactivity occurring as it travels through the most congested cities of 43 States. Mr. Speaker, let us not put millions of our Americans or our environment at risk. Vote no on S. 1287. I yield back S. 1287, a plan to transport nuclear waste that only serves to jeopardize the health and the welfare of every American.”