January 29, 2003
The Honorable C.W. Bill Young The Honorable David R. Obey Dear Chairman Young and Ranking Member Obey: We are writing to urge you to oppose any effort to attach legislative provisions concerning the Price-Anderson Act of 1954 to the omnibus appropriations bill, and specifically to oppose the language included by the Senate in its version of H.J. Res. 2. While we strongly support the Act’s reauthorization, this is significant legislation which should be handled under regular order by the authorizing committees, to ensure full consideration of the important policy matters involved. As you know, both the House and the Senate passed bills reauthorizing the Act during the 107th Congress. The House passed its version, H.R. 2983, in November 2001, and the Senate passed its version as part of H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy bill. As passed by the House last Congress, H.R. 2983 extended the Price-Anderson Act for 15 years and substantially improved upon current law. The bill increased the accountability of Department of Energy (DOE) contractors, enhanced the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s security requirements at nuclear power plants, and ensured the equitable treatment of modular reactors that may be built in the future. It is vitally important that the Price-Anderson Act be reauthorized, but it is important that this be done through regular order, which includes hearings, open debate, and attention to drafting. None of these steps can be accomplished in the appropriations process. While the bill passed by the House during the last Congress included the reforms described above, the language in H.J.Res. 2 does not, and thus ignores matters deserving of full consideration by the committees of jurisdiction. Finally, there is no imperative to take immediate action, since all existing nuclear power plants continue to be covered under current law, and DOE’s authority to enter into nuclear-related contracts continues through 2004. For these reasons, we strongly urge you not to agree to any language in the final omnibus appropriations bill that would preempt full consideration of the Price-Anderson Act by the authorizing committees. We are confident that the Committee on Energy and Commerce once again would address the legislation with dispatch, as it did in the 107th Congress, to ensure the Act’s timely reauthorization. Sincerely,
JOHN D. DINGELL RICK BOUCHER cc: The Honorable W. J. "Billy" Tauzin, Chairman The Honorable Joe Barton, Chairman | |
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