Shelley Berkley: “I would like to thank Mr. Lantos and Mr. Royce for engaging in this colloquy with me. I fully appreciate the importance…”

“I would like to thank Mr. Lantos and Mr. Royce for engaging in this colloquy with me. I fully appreciate the importance and significance of this historic piece of legislation. However, I rise today to discuss two amendments that were adopted by the committee. I am sure that you are all aware that for over 20 years Nevada has fought to keep nuclear waste out of Yucca Mountain. This is a most compelling issue for the people of the State of Nevada. I am very pleased that the committee agreed with my arguments that, before we enter into any agreement to support a proliferation of nuclear power, we should know where the nuclear waste is going to be stored. Nevada certainly doesn't want to store the nuclear waste that is generated in our own country, much less the nuclear waste that is generated in other countries, and that includes India. I am pleased that an amendment that I sponsored ensuring that spent fuel from India's civilian nuclear reactors cannot be transferred to the United States without congressional oversight, that was passed by the committee. Another amendment that requires the President to issue an annual report describing the disposal of nuclear waste from India's civilian nuclear program was also approved by the committee. I believe these are critical provisions that the final bill simply must contain. Both of these provisions passed without objection during the committee markup of this legislation.…”