Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. KIHUEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment to H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019.

This amendment, Mr. Chairman, is very simple. It would strike language that would prohibit the closure of Yucca Mountain.

This site sits in my congressional district, less than 100 miles away from Las Vegas, a city that sees 42 million visitors each year, with many of these visitors coming from your districts. Nevada depends on these visitors. Nevada's economy depends on these visitors.

Putting a nuclear repository this close to millions of Americans is simply irresponsible. And I have grave concerns with the transportation of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain should this project move forward against the will of Nevadans.

Mr. Chairman, Nevada has no nuclear-energy-producing facilities, and it should not be the dumping ground for the rest of the country's nuclear waste. The bottom line is this: If your State generates nuclear waste, then you should keep it in your backyard.

Or if any of my colleagues are okay with sending nuclear waste to my State, then maybe they should consider keeping it in their own State. I will be more than happy to work with them on an amendment.

So, again, Mr. Chairman, the people in Nevada do not want this nuclear waste stored in their backyard. Yucca Mountain needs to close, and that is why I encourage my colleagues to vote in support of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), my colleague from the First Congressional District.

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Mr. KIHUEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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