The amendment to the House Department of Energy Authorization Act, which passed this afternoon, would establish a nuclear waste transmutation research and development program.
Transmutation is a scientific process that turns radioactive waste into non-radioactive substances.
In addition to instructing the Secretary of Energy to begin a transmutation research and development program, the legislation also authorizes grants or contracts to industry and universities to conduct the research. A text of the Congresswoman's floor speech follows. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 1655, the Department of Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization act. I thank the Chairman of the Science Committee and the Ranking Member of the Committee for their support of this amendment. I am certain that my colleagues in this chamber are well aware of my views on the proposed plan to bury nuclear waste in my state, Nevada.