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103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2365
To terminate the Department of Energy’s program to promote the use of
liquid metal reactors for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 1993
Mr. COPPERSMITH (for himself, Mr. KLEIN, and Mr. HOKE) introduced the
following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Science
and Technology, Natural Resources, and Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To terminate the Department of Energy’s program to pro-
mote the use of liquid metal reactors for the disposal
of high-level radioactive waste.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Breeder Reactor Ter-
mination Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the advanced reactor program of the De-
partment of Energy promotes the use of liquid metal
HR 2365 IH
reactors for the disposal of high-level radioactive
waste through a process referred to as ‘‘actinide re-
cycle’’ and for other purposes;
(2) independent scientific experts believe that
liquid metal reactors would greatly increase the cost
of radioactive waste disposal and would not provide
significant environmental benefits;
(3) liquid metal reactors are not necessary to
preserve the nuclear power option, which will instead
depend upon the success of advanced light water
reactors;
(4) arms control experts believe that liquid
metal reactors raise grave nuclear proliferation con-
cerns because of the potential for production of plu-
tonium through breeding and reprocessing;
(5) the need to reduce the Federal budget defi-
cit demands that budget priorities be established
carefully in order to eliminate unnecessary spending;
and
(6) termination of the advanced liquid metal re-
actor program of the Department of Energy was
proposed by the President in February 1993 in his
report entitled A Vision of Change for America.
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SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF ADVANCED LIQUID METAL REAC-
TOR PROGRAM.
(a) TERMINATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the provi-
sions of sections 2121 through 2126 of the Energy
Policy Act of 1992 (106 Stat. 3081; 42 U.S.C.
13491 et seq.), the Secretary of Energy shall take
such actions as are necessary to terminate, as soon
as possible, the advanced liquid metal reactor pro-
gram of the Department of Energy, including the
program’s promotion of the use of liquid metal reac-
tors for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste.
(2) 
REGULATORY
SUPPORT.—Termination
under paragraph (1) shall include termination of De-
partment of Energy support for regulatory applica-
tions to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for de-
sign certification for advanced liquid metal reactors
or related licensed facilities.
(b) REASSIGNMENT
OF PERSONNEL.—In carrying
out subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall, to the
extent practicable, reassign the personnel of the Depart-
ment who would be displaced by termination of the ad-
vanced liquid metal reactor program to other activities of
the Department, such as nuclear nonproliferation and
environmental cleanup at facilities of the Department of
Energy.
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(c) USE OF SAVINGS TO REDUCE DEFICIT.—It is the
policy of the Congress that the savings realized from the
termination of the advanced liquid metal reactor program
should be used to reduce the Federal budget deficit.
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