Doc Hastings: “I understand why my good friend from Nevada is offering this; he's representing what he thinks is right for his…”

“I understand why my good friend from Nevada is offering this; he's representing what he thinks is right for his constituents, and I commend him for that. But the fact of the matter is this is the law of the country, this is the repository, period; yet the Department of Energy, in my view, has been operating outside the law for the last year. Ratepayers have already spent $10 billion on this. If we terminate this site, we will have other liabilities--in fact, there are already contractual liabilities of $2 billion that have been let already--plus the expense, if we have to find another repository, will cost taxpayers further billions of dollars. So I understand why the gentleman is doing this, I think he is incorrect, and I urge that Members vote against his amendment.”