You Read It Here First on NewMajority

Nine days ago, NewMajority’s Tim Mak discussed the advantages of nuclear fuel reprocessing. Last night, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton introduced a bill that authorizes the use of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Waste Fund to recycle spent nuclear fuel.

Nine days ago, NewMajority’s Tim Mak discussed the advantages of nuclear fuel reprocessing:

Considering the benefits, nuclear fuel reprocessing warrants attention, reflection and research... If the United States is serious about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, it will need to expand nuclear generation – and if nuclear is to fulfill its promise, fuel reprocessing is essential.

Last night, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton introduced a bill that authorizes the use of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Waste Fund to recycle spent nuclear fuel. According to a press release obtained by FrumForum.com, Rep. Fred Upton said:

We must restore some sanity to our nation’s nuclear policy, especially in light of the Administration’s foolish diversion from Yucca Mountain. France, Britain and Japan have all enjoyed great success using recycling technology originally developed in the United States, yet we are still hamstrung by Jimmy Carter’s misguided decision to halt recycling here at home… With current technology, an individual’s lifetime share of spent fuel is about the size of a soda pop can, but with recycling we’ll reduce that volume to the size of a Kennedy half dollar. In addition to the environmental benefits, nuclear recycling would create thousands of high paying jobs here at home.

You can read the entire bill here.