Wayne Allard: “As chairman of the Strategic Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, I have the responsibility of overseeing a lot…”

“As chairman of the Strategic Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, I have the responsibility of overseeing a lot of nuclear programs, one of the most important of which is nuclear cleanup. The Department of Energy is facing the potential collapse of its plan to accelerate risk reduction and cleanup of this Nation's nuclear weapons production legacy. I think we must act responsibly to give the Department the clarification it needs to complete cleanup of the sites in our lifetime. In 1997, the Rocky Flats cleanup was expected to take until 2045, at a cost of $17.1 billion. Now, working together, the State Government of Colorado and the Department of Energy have developed a plan under which closure is expected in 2006, at a cost of $7.1 billion. Key to our success was the collaboration between the State and the Department of Energy in devising the path forward.”