i don't know that there's a perfect place in the universe to store nuclear waste, but yucca mountain to me seemed to be about as close to perfect as you can find. in that mountain you have 1,000 feet of rock. above where the waste would be stored. and you have 1,000 feet of rock below. where that storage situation would be. and i should remind the body that yucca mountain is the country's only legal and permanent nuclear repository. it's for both commercial as well as defense waste. and it's a critical component of our efforts to clean up the defense nuclear waste created during and after world war ii. while i appreciate the lady's differing opinion, she does have the opportunity to offer amendments. i would encourage her to do that. with that, mr. speaker, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. slaughter: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, if we defeat the previous question i will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up comprehensive legislation that provides the resources needed to help the families in the cit

determine if its license, which we think it would be, and to move forward with yucca mountain. we support in parallel the necessity of having centralized interim storage. because we don't think you can get to yucca and do everything fast enough for the fact that we have plants that are shutting down. and our support also goes to making sure that there's access to the nuclear waste fund. there's over $30 billion in it. we don't have access right now. >> with 99, i guess, reactors we have functioning, i'm curious about what's being done currently to safeguard those spent fuel rods in those water baths? we know the potential with all the fear of terrorism and other activity for national security, is there something being done on this nuclear waste management that an give us a greater comfort than the way we're doing it now? if we're not using yucca mountain yet, how safe should we feel? >> i'm sure commissioner merrifield will add to this. >> i will. >> the nrc heavily regulates what we do with used nuclear fuel both in the used pool and dry cast storage on site. we obviously have

license, and to move forward with yucca mountain. also support in parallel the necessity of -- because we don't think you can get to yucca and do everything fast enough. there's over $30 billions in it. we support in parallel the necessity of having centralized interim storage. we don't think you can get to yucca and do everything fast enough for the plants that are shutting down. there's over $30 billion in. don't have access. >> 99, i guess, reactors, we have functioning. i'm curious about what's being done currently to safeguard those spent fuel rods in those water baths. we know the potential with all of the fear of terrorism and other activity for national security, is there something being done on this nuclear waste management that can give us a greater comfort than the way we're doing now, instead if we're not using yucca mountain yet, how safe should we feel? >> i'm sure commissioner -- >> i'll add to this. >> i will. the nrc heavily regulates what woo do with used nuclear fuel, both in the used fuel pool, and dry-cast storag

we have all these problems like yucca mountain. we have material we want to bury in the ground and then the people say in the state that you build the facility, well, now we don't want it. so frankly, of all the subcommittees i've served on, our full committee, i've served on a majority of them, i have never seen a department that can't get its act together and get the work done. so, as much as i respect you, congressman gar mendy, and you are right -- garamendi, and you are right on so many efforts, i think to stop this project now with more than 2/3 of it constructed and hundreds of contracts with venleders in 43 states -- vendors in 43 states, canceling those would expose our government to major liability and court costs from lawsuits and so forth. the house bill prioritizes funds for national security to allow the united states to uphold its worthy nonproliferation and disarmament goals, which we share. and focuses on completing the mox facility at the savannah river site. the most -- in the most cost effective manner that the

this includes congressional efforts to support the yucca mountain nuclear repository for future use. in order to make these targeted investments, the bill cuts back another lower priority areas, renewable energy programs, which have received significant investments in recent years, were cut by $248 million from current levels. the bill also prohibits tax dollars from being used for harmful regulatory agenda that hampers our economy. this includes prohibiting funds for the army corps of engineers .o make any changes and other job creators. the bill protects coal and other mining operations from onerous efforts to change the direction of fill material and discharge of fill material. in sum, this bill is an investment and the growth of our american economy, supporting, functioning and safe water resources and continued strides towards energy independence. let me thank and congratulate the subcommittee chairman, mr. simpson and the ranking member, ms. kaptur and the other members of the subcommittee for their hard work on bringing this bill forward. helpful mpletely safe, in the work tha

. >> congressman, they say all politics is local one of the controversial issues in nevada is yucca mountainght your position. >> storing nuclear waste in hole in the ground 20th century solution to 21st century program we need to look past that convert yes, you canno mountain to something will yield economic benefits for the state bring 21st century answer how do we handle nuclear waste. >> you are with harry reed on that issue? >> i think we need to look at alternatives to other than long term underground storage. >> congressman, there are other big names, at risk losing senate seats you've got obviously marco rubio florida john mcchane arizona will democrats regain control of the senate in about november? how do you stop that? >> well i think everyone of the senators that are currently run for reelection on republican side is doing a great job getting out to their voters, letting them know why they should be reelected, this is the primary republican pickup opportunity going into 2016 so my job is to preserve if not protect senate majority what we will do as we get around o to that let peo

mountain. demarco morgan, thank you so much. two horses died saturday at the preakness stakes in baltimore as jamie yuccas report, the tragedies are reigniting concerns about the sport. >> reporter: there were celebrations at the winner's circle for preakness winner exaggerator but his moment of triumph was overshadowed by the loss of two horses. homeboykris won the first preakness in maryland, then collapsed and died moments after having his photo taken in the winner's circle. his owner chris campitelli tweeted devastating loss. homeboykris died from apparent acart attack on walk back to barn after preakness day win. later four year old pramedya had to be euthanized on the track after breaking her left leg coming out of the final turn. dr. keith latson was the on-call veterinarian. >> it was an open wound and that just does not have the possibility of surgical fixation. >> i grew up in hempstead. >> reporter: veterinarian gregory beroza says while the losses are devastating, these horses are specifically bred to race. >> when you have a good race .orse, they want to run. they feel good when they do it. >> reporter: the jockey clu