John Barrasso

Washington policies do not always translate well in rural America.

Thank you very much, Administrator Pruitt. I appreciate your being here.

Last month, I sent you a letter encouraging the EPA to withdraw its proposed rule on in situ uranium recovery, ISR.

I am concerned about both the economic impact and the electric reliability impact of the continued retirement of these vital resources across the country.

Coal and uranium also play a critical role in the electric grid reliability and resilience.

Wyoming is the nation's leading coal and uranium producing state. The industries are responsible for thousands of Wyoming jobs, billions in state and local government revenues.

I am unable to support a confirmation at this time and would hold the confirmation until the Department ends its practice of bartering excess uranium.

The barters have driven down uranium prices and shut down uranium production in Wyoming and in other Western states.

American uranium producers face unfair trade practices from government-owned producers in Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

We are hoping that you can find some scissors to cut through some of the government red tape.

I think all of us agree with you that we simply don't have enough appropriations to properly address America's crumbling water infrastructure, and infrastructure in general.

Rural communities in Wyoming affected by ice jam flooding, the city of Worland that you are very familiar with, they are anxious to see projects built under the Ice Jam Prevention and Mitigation Pilot Program authorized by Section 1150 in…

We talk about the U.S. seeing Assad as chaos, Russia seeing Assad as stability.

One of the things I don't think I had mentioned yet was in terms of, because I continue to advocate maintaining this network of stream gauges and snow pack monitors throughout the Upper Missouri Basin.

We are not investing in the system like we should be. Therefore, we are encountering delays, and it is not a good situation in rural America.

They depend on the reliability of the waterway. They depend on the transportation cost savings for delivering and receiving goods on the waterway.

Regardless of party affiliation, we understand that these kinds of investments are far too important to our economy and security to fall victim to partisan politics.

The United States has supported Cypriot-led, UN-facilitated negotiations to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation as the best means to achieve a just and lasting settlement that benefits all Cypriots.

Addressing America's aging infrastructure is a shared bipartisan goal of this Committee.

Freight is a vital part of America's economy, and I thank Chairman Inhofe, Ranking Member Cardin for holding this important hearing.

I know it seems like a very prolonged period.

I called on the NRC to consider implementing the flat fee structure for routine uranium recovery licensing actions.

My final question is in October 2017, the NRC submitted a report to Senate appropriators on the progress made on licensing applications.

Last month, the NRC decided to increase the terms for uranium recovery licenses from 10 years to 20 years.

The State of Wyoming is in the process now of becoming an NRC agreement State.