Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1997 No. 128 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. The headline, Mr. Speaker, should to the metropolitan areas of Seattle f read, ``Thanks to nuclear energy, inno- and Miami, where I had an opportunity cent people all across this country will to visit with a wide array of individual MORNING HOUR DEBATES be put at risk as 80,000 tons or more of citizen activists, academics, journal- The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the nuclear waste is transported through ists, government officials, health pro- order of the House of January 21, 1997, their communities.'' fessionals, people who are struggling the Chair will now recognize Members Mr. Speaker, the American people with a variety of issues to make their from lists submitted by the majority should say thanks, but no thanks. I communities livable. and minority leaders for morning hour urge my colleagues to understand the I was struck, Mr. Speaker, by the debates. The Chair will alternate rec- facts, that as nuclear waste is trans- fact that those conversations were ognition between the parties, with each ported through their communities, identical in those two communities, party limited to not to exceed 30 min- Americans are put at risk, and I urge separated by our continent, and in fact utes, and each Member except the ma- them to get the facts on nuclear waste. would be indistinguishable from con- jority leader, the minority leader, or I urge them to vote ``no'' on H.R. 1270. versations that I have in my own the minority whip limited to not to ex- Mr. Speaker, I include for the hometown of Portland, OR. ceed 5 minutes. RECORD the ad from National Journal's They are wrestling with notions of The Chair recognizes the gentleman CongressDaily. public safety, affordable housing, water from Florida [Mr. GIBBONS] for 5 min- THANKS TO NUCLEAR ENERGY, THE AIR IN resources, open space, how to make the utes. MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE IS CLEANER most out of scarce land use resources, f Nuclear energy provides electricity to mil- and, most of all, the defining issue they lions of people in Maine, New Hampshire and felt was one of transportation. VOTE ``NO'' ON H.R. 1270 throughout America, and because nuclear Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I would plants don't burn anything to generate elec- It was a timely series of conversa- like to address this Chamber as well as tricity, they don't pollute the air. tions, Mr. Speaker, because we are now all America on an issue that is ex- BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WASTE? dealing with the reauthorization of the tremely important to all of us, and Generating electricity with nuclear energy Surface Transportation Act. Six years that is the issue of nuclear waste. produces a small amount of used nuclear ago the Federal Government entered In a recent advertisement, in fact, an fuel. Today, this used fuel is safely stored at into a new era of partnership with advertisement paid for by the nuclear 109 nuclear power plants throughout the ISTEA, a new way of thinking about country. However, the government has the energy lobbyists, it appeared in the transportation, of providing flexibility legal responsibility to dispose of this waste and community involvement. Congressional Daily, dated September beginning January 31, 1998. 22, 1997, and I quote, ``Thanks to nu- H.R. 1270 would move used nuclear fuel to Stories from all across America at- clear energy, the air in Maine and New a single, engineered storage facility at a re- test to the success of this visionary Hampshire is cleaner.'' The ad goes on mote desert location. It's a common-sense process. We are now about to begin the to say, ``Since nuclear powerplants strategy that will ensure nuclear energy con- next stage with the reauthorization. don't burn anything to generate elec- tinues to provide electricity to Maine and Congress has the opportunity to New Hampshire and nationwide for years to tricity, they do not pollute the air.'' build upon this solid foundation. I am come. concerned, Mr. Speaker, that we in Well, Mr. Speaker, if nuclear energy H.R. 1270: Act Now On Nuclear Waste Dis- is as environmentally safe an energy posal. Congress not be bogged down on some source as they claim it to be, then why f of the details that are not unimpor- do they not store the wastes associated tant, that seem to be swirling about with those nuclear energy plants in PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY AND the issue. We need to be aware of the their own States? COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN questions regarding donor and donee Why not keep that nuclear waste ISSUES OF TRANSPORTATION States, and continue to make progress safely stored at nuclear powerplants The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. toward more equitable and fair dis- throughout the country, as this claim SHIMKUS). Under the Speaker's an- tribution. advertises, and let me say, generating nounced policy of January 21, 1997, the We need to be aware of the conflicts electricity with nuclear energy pro- gentleman from Oregon [Mr. between individual motorists and the duces a small amount of used nuclear BLUMENAUER] is recognized during trucking industry, understanding their fuel. Today this used fuel is safely morning hour debates for 5 minutes. issues as well. stored at 109 nuclear powerplants Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I But it is critical that we not be en- throughout the country. recently returned from a weekend visit gaged in some sort of zero sum game, b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H7607 H7608 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 23, 1997 where we look at roads, rail, air and and a Republican majority in Congress ried, like 21 million American couples. water as being somehow set off against for the first time in history, clearly That extra $1,400 is a significant por- one another. That way of thinking gave us a message, a common message, tion of a downpayment on a home. It is should be a thing of the past. that we should work together in a bi- several months' worth of car payments. Our goal is how do we make the partisan way to solve the challenges It is tuition for their child to go to a pieces fit together. If, for instance, a that we face. local parochial school or for a child community has determined that a rail We have answered that challenge just who they themselves as adults go to line might be far more cost effective to in the last several months with the local community college. That is provide transportation capacity, the first balanced budget in 28 years, the wrong, that is unfair. Federal Government ought not to first meaningful tax relief for middle- What we propose to do with the en- stand in the way of their making that class families in 16 years, and extend- actment of the Marriage Tax Elimi- decision. If a community determines ing the life of Medicare for 10 years. nation Act, H.R. 2456, is to give work- that sound land use planning and ar- Those are bipartisan victories, and ing couples the power to choose which ranging the land uses in a thoughtful clearly the middle-class working fami- filing status makes sense for them. way is the most cost effective alter- lies are the winners. They would have the opportunity native to building another freeway, the Now as I travel throughout the di- under the Marriage Tax Elimination Federal Government should not stand verse district that I have the privilege Act to choose to file jointly or as sin- in their way. of representing, when I listen at my gles, whichever is to their financial ad- Tomorrow in the Committee on town meetings, VFW and local union vantage. And as two singles, this cou- Transportation and Infrastructure we halls and the grain elevators, there is a ple here from Illinois could benefit from greater standard deductions, of begin the markup of H.R. 2400, the so- common concern that is getting louder course, but they would also get the full called BESTEA. It is a good bill, and it and louder all the time, and that is the advantage, the full advantage of the is in fact getting better. It is critical issue regarding the marriage tax pen- lower tax rates. In this case each indi- that we keep our eye on five essential alty. vidual would pay in the 15-percent tax elements: Let me explain why the marriage tax bracket rather than the 28 percent. It No. 1, we deal with an adequate fund- penalty is a common concern to so ing level. These resources are, after all, is a fair solution to the marriage tax many working middle-class families trust funds that the American people penalty. with a couple of questions. Do Ameri- have paid through user fees. We have a It is similar also to what the State of cans feel that it is fair that our Tax responsibility to make sure they get Virginia has already done, a case where Code imposes a higher tax on married the resources they need. the States are always ahead of the Fed- No.