Barrasso's Nuclear Fuel Amendment Overwhelmingly Passes Senate

Floor Speech

Date: July 27, 2023
Location: Washington, D.C.

"Mr. President, for decades now, Russia has flooded America's uranium market.

Russia has driven America's nuclear fuel suppliers out of business.

Russia now supplies 24 percent of our enriched uranium imports.

Russia is our third-largest supplier.

We spend nearly $1 billion each year on Russian uranium. Russia uses these revenues to fund its invasion of Ukraine.

Here in America we have the resources to fuel our own reactors.

My amendment authorizes the Department of Energy to take the steps necessary to expand US nuclear fuel production.

The Energy Committee passed this legislation by voice vote in May.

The Senate passed this legislation by voice vote last December. It was included in last year's Senate defense bill.

Now I'd like to thank Senator Manchin, Senator Risch, Senator Mark Warner, Senator Budd, Senator Coons for their effort and their support in cosponsorship on this critical issue.

I urge you to support this bipartisan amendment.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor."


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