John Ensign: “I also rise to talk about H.R. 1270, not Yucca Mountain but the interim storage of nuclear waste. A lot of people are…”

“I also rise to talk about H.R. 1270, not Yucca Mountain but the interim storage of nuclear waste. A lot of people are getting it mistaken. Every major environmental group in the United States is opposing H.R. 1270. Why? Because H.R. 1270 is ignoring all of the laws in the United States that protect us. We are talking about the most dangerous substance known to mankind, but the Republican leadership even blocked us from offering some reasonable amendments. One of those amendments would have allowed us to protect our children and schools from having nuclear waste transported by their doors. Another amendment would have said that this bill cannot waive all of our environmental laws. And then something else, talking about hypocrisy with the Republican leadership on this, the Republican leadership came in defending private property rights, and yet they would not even allow us an amendment to defend private property rights on H.R. 1270. I urge a ``no'' vote today on the rule and on final passage.”