Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, my amendment funds ongoing efforts to assess the viability of using low-enriched uranium fuel in naval reactors, including those in aircraft carriers and submarines, something this Congress has supported for many years now. The United States has demonstrated strong leadership to minimize, and wherever possible all but eliminate, the use of highly enriched uranium for civilian purposes. Doing so reduces the risk of nuclear terrorism and makes clear that the accumulation of HEU is solely for nuclear weapons purposes, undercutting any nation's argument that they need it for anything else. Using low-enriched uranium, or LEU, in naval reactor fuel can bring significant national security benefits with respect to nuclear nonproliferation, lower security costs, and put naval reactor research and development at the cutting edge of science. Pursuing the development of LEU fuel offers the opportunity to achieve transformational progress on fuel technology. Additionally, unless an alternative using low-enriched uranium fuel is developed in the coming decades, the United States will have to resume production of bomb-grade uranium for the first time since 1992, ultimately undermining U.S. nonproliferation efforts. Using LEU for naval reactors is not a pipe dream. France's nuclear Navy already has converted from using HEU to using LEU fuel for its vessels.…”