Political Quotes

“there are some occasions in this body in which a bit of institutional memory is truly of value. And, in my case, I have a memory which has been reinforced by reading the Congressional Record of the creation of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. Interestingly enough, the managers on both sides of the party aisle here were Members of that Congress. But the distinguished Senator from Louisiana, I believe, was perhaps the most knowledgeable Member of the body at that time, as he is today, on this particular subject. More than 14 years ago, in April 1982 when this bill was being debated, this is what the Senator from Louisiana said: The bill before the Senate today requires the Federal Government to undertake definitive and specific actions to assume the responsibility for nuclear waste disposal which existing law reserves to it. We can attempt to avoid this responsibility in the context of this particular Congress, but we will never finally escape the necessity of enacting legislation very similar to this bill. It is a task that no one but Congress can perform. The Senator from Louisiana went on to say: The aim of this bill is to provide congressional support which will force the executive branch to place before Congress and the public real solutions to our nuclear waste management problems.…”