Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) led a bipartisan coalition of 15 Senators to introduce a resolution declaring that:
“The Senate is committed to embracing and promoting nuclear power as a clean baseload energy source necessary to achieve a reliable, secure, and diversified electric grid.”
The resolution is supported by the following Senators:
- Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC)
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)
- Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
- Sen. James Risch (R-ID)
- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
- Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE)
- Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
- Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
- Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
- Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
The bill is also supported by: Duke Energy, Constellation Energy, U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, American Nuclear Society, Centrus Energy, Third Way, ClearPath, North American Young Generation in Nuclear.
Senator Budd said in a statement:
“Investing in safe and clean nuclear energy is a key step to ensure America becomes energy dominant and offers a unique opportunity to jump start American advanced manufacturing, particularly in North Carolina. I’m glad to work with Senator Coons on a bipartisan expression of this goal. I will continue to support an all-of-the-above energy strategy to lower prices for gas and electricity for working North Carolina families while creating rewarding, well-paying jobs in this growing industry.”
Senator Coons said:
“Embracing nuclear energy would contribute to America’s global leadership, reinvigorate manufacturing at home, lower energy costs, and help to realize our climate goals. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Budd to emphasize the importance of nuclear in attaining a reliable and diversified energy system that prepares our nation for the global challenges of the 21st century.”
Senator Tillis said:
“Nuclear energy is the most efficient renewable energy source available, and the United States has an opportunity to become a world leader in the renewed production of nuclear power production. I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution in support of this important energy source and ensure the U.S. can produce clean, reliable, and diversified energy production.”
Preston Gillespie, Duke Energy’s Executive Vice President and Chief Generation Officer, said:
“Nuclear energy is an important part of our energy mix in the Carolinas, safely and reliably providing carbon-free power 24 hours a day. We appreciate Senator Budd’s leadership on the Senate resolution that recognizes nuclear energy as an essential part of reliability, affordability and carbon reductions.”
Resolved, That—
(1) in order to maintain geopolitical energy leadership, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance the energy security of the United States, the Senate is committed to embracing and promoting nuclear power as a clean baseload energy source necessary to achieve a reliable, secure, and diversified electric grid; and
(2) it is the sense of the Senate that—
(A) among allies and partners of the United States, nuclear energy presents an advantageous export opportunity for United States advanced manufacturing and technical expertise; and
(B) to realize the benefits of next-generation nuclear deployment—
(i) a robust domestic production base of low-enriched uranium and high-assay, low-enriched uranium needs to be established;
(ii) the domestic nuclear supply chain and the associated workforce needs to be further established, and a highly trained and capable workforce of scientists, engineers, operators, regulators, and trades workers needs to be cultivated; and
(iii) robust public-private financing mechanisms should be pursued.
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