Political Quotes

“I have to admit, the first time I heard about the concept of placing this waste at Yucca Mountain a few years ago, I thought it was a very good idea. I thought so for one reason: Nevada is not Texas. I think that is the main reason why so many people approve of the Yucca Mountain site today, because Nevada is not South Carolina, it is not Maine, and it is not California. But as one of my neighbors, Molly Ivins, pointed out recently in a column, ``putting the nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain is Nevada's problem. Getting it there is ours.'' These transportation routes will affect not just Nevada, but families in most every State in the country. Indeed, one of the routes the Energy Department had on its list until recently, consistent with some of the comments that we do not need to worry about transportation, was within sight of the United States Capitol. They were proposing to run this nuclear waste through Washington. To the gentleman who came and said that we have never had a problem hauling nuclear waste, I submit that his statement is about as persuasive as someone who stood on this floor last year and said an airplane has never been used as a bomb. Things are different after September 11, and are we increasing the risk to the American people, increasing the exposure, by having these ``mobile Chernobyls'' crossing the country back and forth, affecting millions and millions of United States citizens.”