Joe Barton: “I include for the Record a letter from Edward C. Sullivan, the President of the Building and Construction Trades…”

“I include for the Record a letter from Edward C. Sullivan, the President of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, in support of H.J. Res. 87. Building and Construction Trades Department, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, Washington, DC, May 6, 2002. Dear Representative: On behalf of the Building and Construction Trades Department and our affiliated unions, I am writing to ask you to support House Joint Resolution 87, the Yucca Mountain Resolution, because it is in the best interest of our nation, our citizens and our workers. Our Nation needs a safe, stable and scientifically feasible program for storing used nuclear fuel. The Yucca Mountain location has been thoroughly examined for over 20 years at a cost of $7 billion and has met or exceeded all environmental and scientific standards for storage. It is located on federal land in a remote, secure area. Nuclear energy has proven to be a clean, safe and reliable source of electricity for nearly half a century. Today, one of every five homes, businesses and farms receives electricity generated by a nuclear plant. Since the 1970's growth in the use of nuclear energy has reduced the need for foreign oil in the electricity sector and saved consumers $81 billion in payments for imported oil. But, unless we can begin the process of safe storage of spent nuclear fuel, the future of nuclear energy is uncertain.”