as i said in my opening remarks, whether you're for yucca mountain or against yucca mountain, that's the point of the commission report, right? you said 25 years is long enough just to be sitting there and we need to get on with it. and if i'm not correct, you said even if that as far as the repository needed -- even if yucca mountain were open, we'd need a second repository, right? so we have that work to do. and you didn't define what you meant by consent based, was that deliberate? you didn't say they have to pass a law and -- >> no, we didn't because we said consent based, but also adaptive. it depends on the circumstances. it may be different in different areas. >> and did you envision there would be incentives to local governments? to induce incentives? >> yes, we did. and i think per's talked about some of those, a research laboratory. all kinds of things that can make such a facility attractive to the community. >> basically whatever it took so people would want to compete for this, is that correct? >> part of the consent basis. >> yeah, and in my experience, i don't want to

next, regardless of yucca mountain, we need another repository. the lessons of yucca and better -- and the better lessons of finland, sweden and wip suggest the consent-based siding approach may get better results but will require patience. we have long favored consolidated interim storage but find the report vague as to quantity, duration and cost. we're not sure what the effect will be on the fee if the nuclear waste fund is to be used to pay for storage. we agree with the concept and benefits of a new federal corporation that can focus on the waste management mission with a fresh partnership attitude for encouraging the consent-based approach. we look ford refining the concept and enabling legislation. transportation, planning and coordination with states and others cannot begin soon enough. finally, we commend the brc january 2012 report for specifying that the proposed consent-based approach to siting future repositories must be adaptive and that -- in the sense that the process itself is flexible and produces decisions that are responsive to

yucca mountain was deemed the best after a thorough technical analysis. congress has voted a number of times to retain yucca mountain as the national site and $15 billion has been spent on the project. $19 billion is the estimated taxpayer liability to be paid out of the judgment funds to utilities because the d.o.e. has not removed the waste as promised. $30 billion, the total amount of ious in the trust fund that rate payers have been paying into. it must be paid back by the taxpayers because congress spent the money on other programs. unknown is the cost of creating another federal agency to manage nuclear waste as recommended by the commission. the yucca mountain project goes back three decades and it seems that we are nowhere near today yet a long-term solution. you know, the question we have to ask is how do we know that if we adopt the recommendations laid out in the commission's report we won't be back here again three decades from now having spent billions more without a long-term storage solution? can this plan be a bridge that will result in lo

do you agree that -- and i'm not going to ask you, either of you whether you're for or against yucca mountain. let's put that over here for a moment. i imagine you'll get a question about that. i'm not asking that. whether one is for or against yucca mountain or the one is, do you agree with the commission's suggestion that we should move ahead to break the stalemate on disposal of used nuclear fuel by, number one, beginning to identify consolidation sites to which to move fuel from the sites around the country? and two, begin to find a repository since even if we were to open yucca mountain, we would still need a second repository. do you believe it's prudent to move ahead on parallel tracks with both of those activities? dr. macfarlane. >> thank you very much for that question. again, i remind myself that the nuclear regulatory commission's mission is that of regulating that of health and museum human safety. again, putting on my blue ribbon commission hat, i wholeheartedly agree with both of those statements. have i always been a very strong proponent of geologic repositories. >>

you know, whether one is for or against yucca mountain, we need to move ahead. we still need consolidation sites. we have some places around the country on the 65 sites where we have used nuclear fuel where there are no plants anymore. and those would be obvious places where we ought to move that used nuclear fuel to consolidation sites. and it's our responsibility, as senator barrasso said. under the law, it's our job to get the waste and take care of it. and we're not doing that and the government is liable for that. so that's another reason to break the stalemate. and still another reason to break the stalemate, even if yucca mountain were open today, we'd need a second repository very quickly because the stuff we had would pretty well fill up yucca mountain if it were open. so we need to move ahead. we need to break the stalemate and i'm very appreciative of senator carper and barrasso focusing on this, and i want to commend senators binghamton and feinstein for their leadership. we know the fuel can be safely stored there for a long time, maybe 100 years, b

and that will not be derailed by the yucca debate. it's a -- we have conclusively demonstrated we have a big difference of opinion over yucca mountain. and i don't think we need 25 more years to do that. so we also, i think, have everybody here. and if anyone disagrees with that, hope you'll say so. even if we opened yucca mountain, we'll soon need or maybe immediately need a second repository for the material we already have. and so we need consolidation sites, and we need a second repository or more. and so we're looking for a prudent way to get on with it. so that -- this hearing is a good help to that and the testimony today has been very useful. >> i agree. i agree. senator udall? >> thank you, senator carper. this question is to mr. orrell and mr. fettus. i'm trying to drill down a little bit because the brc on this issue of parallel versus what we have in the law now and what we -- as you all know, d.o.e. can't open an interim or consolidated site unless a permanent site is already opened. and so the brc talks about parallel. h

you may get some questions about whether you're for or against yucca mountain. i won't be asking that. i'll be asking whether or not you're for or against it, should we not move ahead to find a repository and to find consolidation sites along parallel tracks as recommended by the bipartisan commission on nuclear waste on which dr. macfarlane served. three, i'll be asking about small nuclear reactors and your attitude toward that. that's an opportunity our country has, has broad support here in the congress. we're funding a jump-start of it. the nuclear regulatory commission's nurturing of that process over the next three or four years will make a difference whether the united states is able to move ahead with it successfully. i'll be asking about that. two other things. one is the mox fuel. tba is a federal agency that's volunteered to use it in the nuclear regulatory commission, will have to qualify it and license the reactor. this is all part of the united states effort to take nuclear weapons that were intended to blow us up and turn them into fuel we could u

and the discussion dealt with spent fuel is not going to end up in yucca mountain. how do we go forward and find a place that is suitable? this country, or places that are suitable in this country? and senator alexander, we both served adds as governors and we had to be concerned among other things where to site prisons. not an easy thing to do in a small state like delaware, and not in other states. as it turns out, there were states that literally competed for a right to become a repository if you will for people that violated the law in our state and were incarcerated. and we had a competition that flowed from that situation. in a consent-based approach which is what the blue ribbon is suggesting, really makes a lot of sense to me in whether regardless what happens with yucca mountain, we have to learn from that, that experience, and just be a whole lot smarter going forward as we prepare to take next steps. how might we incentivize other states, other localities to be willing to, as they are in france and some other countries, to be willing to be a site for thes

that was raised about her testimony that she does not disclose involvement on a payment concerning yucca mountain when she testified last time. her involvement was fully evaluated during the confirmation process in 2007, 2008. she was fully forthcoming in her written questionnaire, and written responses to questions about her involvement in nuclear waste issues early in her career, and testified before the epw committee. she was unanimously confirmed, ironically the technical paper her opponents claled she was hiding from the senate during her confirmation process, was the first of her articles listed in her senate epw questionnaire submitted five years ago. i think it's -- i don't want to use mccarthyite phrases, we need not to be -- we need to be careful about somebody her integrity and ability if suggesting motives that aren't there. also, i would note that the paper she -- that was referred to, that she co authored as a young engineer would being in the clinton department of energy, it it was very short, less than three pages, briefly described the yucca mountain site and described t

to fund yucca mountain. so i think that the congress has -- and certainly the house -- has well established what their position is in the seriousness of making sure that yucca mountain becomes our -- i'll be more than happy to yield to my friend. mr. dicks: we passed a law that was signed by the president of the united states at that time. i can remember congressman udall was chair of the committee at that time. we passed the law, said do yucca mountain, and that law has not been repealed. that's still the law of the land, and i yield back to the gentleman. mr. hastings: reclaiming my time. that's precisely the point that you made and it needs to be repeated over and over. this is statutory law. and 32 different times it has attempted to be modified on the house floor and 32 times it has been rejected since 1995. let me put a personal note because i represent the hanford area. it was part of the manhattan project. we developed the atomic weapons. it created a tremendous amount of waste. in the state of washi

and the decision dealt with spent fuel is not going to end up in yucca mountain. how do we go forward and find a place that's suitable in this country that replace it or suitable in this country? we had, among other things to be concerned about, site prisons. not easy to do in a small state like delaware and a number of other states. as it turns out, other states that literally competed for the right to become a repository, if you will, for people that violated the law and who were incarcerated. and we had a competition that flowed from that situation. in a consent-based approach, which is what the blue ribbon commission is suggesting, makes sense to a lot of me and regardless of what happens with yucca mountain, we have to learn from that experience approximate&be a whole lot smarter going forward as we prepare to take the next steps. now might we incentivize other states, other localities to be willing to as they are in france and some other countries, be willing to be a site for these kinds of activities? your ideas from both of you, please? what would be your

senator boxer, so you didn't work directly on yucca? answer, i did not. i don't believe that's true. when i don't vote for you, commissioner, it's because i have reasons that go with my view of your candor or lack of same. and also the record in terms of safety. i hope and i truly pray that this commission, with your leadership and yours, can get off on a different -- in a different direction. we can have the deepest divisions of opinion. this is america. that's what we're known for. we don't agree on things but we have decent relationships with each other. and i just really want to underscore that. as one day we had all the commissioners here and the chairman and i said, you should all go out after work and have a beer, soda, something. and, you know, they all looked at me like, what planet was i on for that to even be possible? that's got to be possible. it could be tea or coffee. could be anything. but you get my point. and so dr. macfarlane, you're walking into a tough situation. but honestly, after meeting with you and watching you here today, i sens

finally, a word about yucca mountain. the recommendation includes $25 million for yucca mountain with language prohibiting activities which keep that facility with being usable in the future. the recommendation also denies funding for the blue ribbon commission activities which need legislative authorization. research and development activities to support yucca are permitted. this will ensure we will keep congress in the driver seat for nuclear waste policy. mr. chairman, this is a tight, fiscally conservative bill, which funds critical national security, jobs and infrastructure priorities while helping to fight future gasoline price increases. this bill see serves our members' support and i look forward to an open process. and i reserve the balance of my time. . . >> i would like to begin by expressing my appreciation to chairman freely frelinghuysen for his efforts to be inclusive and transparent in addressing this legislation. the process has been clenalial and the chairman has ensured that the water and subcommittee c

yucca mountain is not a mountain on its own. it's at the nuclear test site. it's bigger than the state of rhode island. it's federal property. and so we come down on the floor. we'll be doing this the following weeks highlighting individual senators who are either undecided, no commitment, no position on what high-level nuclear waste in their state, what should be the disposition of it, where it should go, and at least get them on the record as far as this issue. again, this law was passed it in 1982. the amendment passed identifying yuck -- yucca mountain was then signed in 1987. we would just ask the administration to follow the law. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlelady from california, ms. woolsey, for five minutes. ms. woolsey: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, while the house was out of session last week, the nation suffered its 2,000th fatality in the conflict known as operation enduring freedom. the overwhelming number of those deaths coming in afghanistan. for more than 10 years now, we've been losing y

commissioner svinicki's nomination, i am troubled by her statements that she did not work directly on yucca mountain, which she clearly did. i also believe commissioner svinicki has not demonstrated the commitment to safety that the american people have a right to expect in this post-fukushima era. just yesterday, just yesterday i learned that commissioner svinicki actively oppose mid reasonable request for an nrc investigation into how a redesign of the san onofre nuclear plant occurred without proper oversight by the nrc. she did not support that request. now that plant is shut down, shut down, due to unexplained deterioration of steam generator tubes containing radioactive material. had commissioner svinicki's position prevailed, we would have seen stonewall big the nrc. i want to thank commissioner ostendorff and jaczko for not allowing the stonewalling to occur. and i ask unanimous consent to place in the record letters of opposition to commissioner svinicki's renomination. now, one of these was a letter written by 94 organizations who said during her first term as an nrc commissioner,

. >>> the plan to reopen yucca mountain took one step forward today. the house voted to give the commission an extra $10 million to complete the permitting process for the facility. the plan goes to the senate where it is not expected to survive. they oppose moving spent nuclear fuel away from reactors, they are concerned about the safety of transporting on roads and rails. >>> this weekend people are encouraged to visit national parks for free, including here in the bay area. they are offering free admissions this saturday. this is the fifth year for national get outdoor's day. visitors could also receive a guided tour. >>> just when the weather was getting to where we were comfortable, things are changing. >> the winds are dying down and the winds have been the story. that is where the fog has gone. temperatures over night have been cool because of the winds. towards the delta, what i have got here is a live weather station, it tells me how hard it is blowing. 21 miles per hour out of the west. that is gusty winds through antioch, pittsburg, danville

we have the pollo, the yucca with the salsa verde, the frijo will les, we're bringing the rice and beanseel weird, though. take a look around. i'm the only one with food here. >> they're going to eat after you. >> reporter: i like that. normally it's ladies first, but in this case i'm the only guy here, so i think that works out. why did you have us come to your backyard? >> well, i'm a retired police officer, but i always watch news4, especially in the morning and the afternoon. i met wendy about 15 years ago on a rape case in alexandria, and i met doreen. so i like the people from channel 4. >> reporter: so she thinks of us as family. you always serve your guests first, is what she says. you know it's on the hot side. it's going to get warmer than 6:00, because we'll be doing some salsa. 95 right now, the heat index, so that right now not a problem. humidity only 22%. don't worry about that tomorrow. 95 tomorrow, but 94 in rockville. into college park, and jut don't to the south. we do have the heat advisory in effect, and this is why. it's because of highs tomorrow, 99 in washington,

>> star with the yucca fries. >> beautiful flavors. >> lima beans and rice. >> sweet potato chips, whocould eat anything else except maybe a plantain. >> the last one is the salmon salad. >> the salmon seared ever so slightly. that's in contrast to the raw fish special which can find its way into a cocktail. why should the bloodied marys with without? >> it's got calamari shrimp. >> yes, bacon. >> that's a meal in and of itself. i think it's time to dine and dish. shall we? >> yes. >> let's go. my top picks for brunch, the taco taco with baa than arks salmon salad, and the bloody lorcho. back to you. >>> let's give you a quick update on the weather here. mount tam cam looking back over the bay, we have clear skies up above, some general haziness around the coast. we have some fog out there. inland it's pretty clear and warm in some spots. in the 60s in fairfield and in livermore, antioch and brentwood, upper 50s concord and pleasanton, san jose 59 degrees. we got pretty warm yesterday and didn't e=ç1sicool off that overnight. it's comfortable to be outside. some spots in the east bay w

do the work so that we know whether yucca mountain is safe. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlelady from california seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlelady is recognized. ms. woolsey: mr. speaker, a strong america future depends on sound stewardship of our oceans. nowhere is the ocean more magnificent and majestic than off the northern california, sonoma county coast. these are some of the most abundant waters on earth, but much of the area is vulnerable to drill, baby, drill enthuse yists. that's why i offered a bill to more than double the size of our existing national marine sanctuary off these coastal areas. giving these waters the permanent protection they need to protect them from oil and gas exploration. this legislation is a win-win, pro-environment and pro-economic recovery bill. it is a conservation imperative, and it would provide a boost to our commerci

on china currency, term limits for lawmakers as well as storing nuclear waste at yucca mountain in nevadahey have to deal with that. and we talked to one republican, greg walden, who's a member of the republican leadership team. he said, listen, we're going to disagree from time to time, but we just have to know where we both stand and how to deal with it. jon: bob cusack, they'll disagree just like president obama and bill clinton seem to be these days. [laughter] >> absolutely. thanks, jon. jenna: new information from the black box of that doomed passenger jet that crashed into the atlantic three years ago. there's some questions being raised about what the captain may have been doing in the final moments before the tragedy. >>> plus, the beauty and the boss. donald trump threatening to sue over accusations involving the legitimacy of his miss usa pageant. does he have a case? a special guest, expert legal analyst joins us next. jon: ooh. we're sitting on a bunch of shale gas. there's natural gas under my town. it's a game changer. ♪ it means cleaner, cheaper american-made energy. but w

in searchlight, he would help us as a young boy, climbing up into a tree, putting putting -- into a yucca tree -- joshua tree, i'm sorry, christmas tree lights. well, he has grown past that. he was in college, doing quite well, and he started getting sick. he had just turned 23, and he was -- as embarrassed as he was, he had to go to a doctor and find out what was wrong. he had testicular cancer. that happened in a matter of weeks after he was no longer on the insurance plan of his parents. they had no money. they were desperate to help their boy. they did everything they could to help him. he had two or three surgeries. his life was saved, but yet really it put a dent in what limited savings they had. she worked part time at the post office. he had -- he had worked down at the mojave generating facility, which closed. so they had limited means, and it was really difficult on what savings they had been able to accumulate. that won't happen anymore. he would have been able to complete college because you know the magic age isn't 22 anymore, it's 27. so, mr. president, that's one thing. six