Lamar Smith: “First of all, let me thank my friend and colleague from Texas, Chairman Burgess, for yielding me time. H.R. 4979, the…”

“First of all, let me thank my friend and colleague from Texas, Chairman Burgess, for yielding me time. H.R. 4979, the Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016, gives direction to cooperative civilian nuclear energy R&D and provides regulatory changes to advance commercial innovation in the American nuclear power industry. I thank the chairman of the committee on Energy and Commerce, my good friend, Fred Upton, for his leadership and for working with me on this shared legislation. I am encouraged by the strong bipartisan support that has emerged for nuclear energy innovation, beginning with the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's House-passed Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, H.R. 4084. That bill is part of both the energy policy and NDAA conferences going on right now. H.R. 4084, sponsored by the Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy Chairman Randy Weber and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson, already has passed the House this Congress with strong bipartisan support. The reinforcing legislation we consider today continues this bipartisan work. I thank the sponsors of today's bill, Representatives Bob Latta and Jerry McNerney, for their initiative on this issue. Advanced nuclear energy technology provides an opportunity to make reliable, emission-free electricity available throughout the modern and developing world.…”