Lamar Smith: “First of all, let me thank the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Representative Randy…”

“First of all, let me thank the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Representative Randy Weber, for yielding me time on his bill, which is H.R. 4378, the Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act. H.R. 4378, cosponsored by full committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson, Energy Subcommittee Vice Chairman Steve Knight, Representative Dan Lipinski, and Representative Randy Hultgren, authorizes funds within the DOE Nuclear Energy budget to construct their versatile neutron source, a DOE fast neutron user facility that will facilitate the development of the next generation of nuclear reactors by the private sector. This legislation builds on and implements Chairman Weber's Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, which passed the House three times with bipartisan support in the last Congress. Advanced nuclear reactor technology provides the best opportunity to make reliable, emission-free electricity available throughout the industrial and developing world. This user facility will ensure that U.S. companies develop critical advanced reactor technology here in the United States. Today, the only source of fast neutrons available for civilian research is in Russia, making it impossible for American entrepreneurs to conduct the testing and validation needed to deploy commercial advanced reactors. America must also maintain our edge in nuclear science in order to influence global nonproliferation standards.…”