Ralph Hall: “the only change that I see in this is that it amends the Price-Anderson Act. That is an act that we very carefully…”

“the only change that I see in this is that it amends the Price-Anderson Act. That is an act that we very carefully crafted over two Congresses. There has been no hearing on this amendment. All in the world this is, by a very clever and articulate and a fine Member of Congress, it is a last gasp, the last grasp, the last opportunity to derail us finding a place for the nuclear waste. That is absolutely all it is. The purpose of the Price-Anderson Act is to provide a means of quickly compensating the victims of a nuclear accident. Let me say this: This amendment, this motion, is not timely, it is not necessary, and it is not debated. There has been absolutely no hearing on it. The Price-Anderson Act has to be reauthorized by the year 2002. Nuclear waste shipments will not begin until 2002, so there is no reason to act on this amendment today, since transportation will not begin until 5 long years from now. Why the urgency this afternoon? It is just to derail this amendment today. It is very clever, very well presented, but it just does not hold up. The situation could be different 5 years from now. At least the committee system would have 60 long months to work, to hear, to notify and have input from people more knowledgeable than any of us here. I think it is unnecessary, it is dangerous, it is untimely, and it is unneeded. I urge that we defeat it.”