March 17, 2014

N.M. REP. PEARCE STEPS UP EFFORTS AGAINST USEC FUNDING

By ExchangeMonitor

As Congress takes steps that could lead to federal funding for USEC’s American Centrifuge project, Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) is ramping up opposition to government support for the proposed enrichment plant. While members of the House and Senate met Tuesday to conference on a transportation funding bill, Pearce’s office circulated a handout on the House floor this week stating that the Senate version of the bill “includes a $150 million earmark for USEC.” The Administration has requested $150 million in transfer authority for a research, development and deployment program for the project for this year, which was approved in the Senate bill, as well as an additional $150 million Fiscal Year ‘13. Pearce and avid nuclear critic Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who is on the conference committee, also sent a letter to conferees this week urging them to reject the funding in the Senate version of the bill. Pearce’s district includes USEC’s main competitor, the URENCO USA enrichment plant in Eunice, N.M.

Pearce’s chief of staff, Todd Willens, said that the lawmaker plans to keep pushing the issue in Congress. “We hope that by shedding more light on it, it educates members on what’s really going on here. On that respect we’ll continue to explore every opportunity we can so that it doesn’t go forward. But in this case, communicating with and educating members who are on the conference is what we need to do,” Willens told RW Monitor. “We are watching it closely as it progresses. We are sharing information, and the congressman continues to talk to members on the floor about it.” Meanwhile, the FY 2013 Defense Authorization bill considered by the House Armed Services Committee yesterday authorized $150 million in funding for the project in FY ‘13. However, Pearce’s office is working on an amendment to strike USEC funding that will be offered when the bill comes to the House floor.

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