Unfortunately,  Price Anderson just passed on a voice vote in the House.

Alex Veitch
Sierra Club Global Warming & Energy Program
Tel: 202 675 7913
http://www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming

This vote was on whether to reauthorize the Price-Anderson Act, which is the
federal government's subsidy program for the dangerous nuclear power
industry. The nuclear industry's friends in Congress are rushed the bill
through the House today, by putting it on the suspension calendar, which
does not allow amendments to the Act and limits debate to 40 minutes. This
legislation is extremely controversial and needed full debate before it is
taken up by the House. 145 votes against the bill are necessary to return it
to the normal
legislative process where amendments would be allowed.

The Price-Anderson Act was originally enacted in 1957, as a temporary
measure in support of the nascent nuclear industry.  Nearly 50 years later,
this legislation continues to subsidize the nuclear industry by artificially
lowering insurance costs and limiting liability of nuclear operators in case
of accidents.  Reauthorization of the Price-Anderson Act would pave the way
for the construction of new nuclear reactors.

H.R. 2983

- The bill does not adequately address heightened concerns about
security problems at nuclear power plants.  Congress should not promote
the construction of additional vulnerable targets.

-The bill grants special concessions to proposed new Pebble Bed Modular
Reactors.  If these reactors are "inherently safe," as the industry
claims, why do they need subsidized insurance?  This section should be
removed.

- The insurance coverage required under the H.R. 2983 grossly
understates the calculated cost of a nuclear accident.  Premium levels
should be raised.

- The bill reauthorizes the Price-Anderson Act for 15 years.  This
period should be shortened.

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