John Shimkus

My colleague, the ranking member Mr. Pallone, has said many times how important it is that we take a look at the Brownfields Program.

We need to see what works--and there is a lot to like about the program--but we find that there are always areas we can improve upon.

The economic redevelopment of these sites means very good things for the local community--things like jobs, an improved tax base.

Brownfields is an important issue for me.

If climate is a national debate, then the largest baseload generation of carbon-free energy is nuclear.

I hope you are taking all necessary steps to maintain the necessary expertise and infrastructure to continue consideration of the Yucca Mountain License Application.

My home State of Illinois generates the most nuclear energy in the Nation.

I appreciate Commissioner Ostendorff's willingness to speak up on the need for the Federal Government to fulfill its legal, I will add, obligation to dispose of spent nuclear fuel.

Nuclear energy is and must remain a central component of our Nation's electricity mix.

Thank you. This has been a great hearing.

Flint was let down by its Federal and State Government and its local officials and the residents there are right to be skeptical.

At one level I am glad we are looking into the tragedy in Flint, Michigan, and on another one I am saddened and disappointed that it even happened in the first place.

I want money to go to cleanup more than bureaucracy.

He has been very, very helpful on movement of this, and we are hopeful we will get to some agreement in the future.

It's not because Republicans are anti-environment. We all want to breathe clean air and drink clean and safe water.

Since Republicans took the House majority in 2012, we've used our power of the purse to readjust EPA's budget from the outlier levels of 2009 to something more in line with the trend set for 2008 spending levels and to reduce EPA staffing…

The problem, and the reason we've cut your budget, is that your agency, is prioritizing new rules and regulations that Congress never told you to pursue in the first place.

I would call on the commissioners to enact civil disobedience and disregard the chairman's edict.

In the country right now, there is a revolt brewing in the country.

I feel they should, we would have a little more clarity and a little more strength.

We are in a much better place than we were, obviously, 2 years ago.

I wish, for the sake of the republic, that the administration would abide by the law.

The Nuclear Policy Act is a conjunction of both spent fuel and defense waste. There is no bifurcation of where nuclear waste goes.

It is unfortunate that you have been part of an administration that is not enforcing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.

I really appreciate Ranking Member Pallone's comments, because I do have frustrations with that and elder law attorneys who try to find these ways to protect assets when those assets should be used.