WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) is urging the Senate to pass a bipartisan bill that would ban the import of Russian uranium into the United States. The legislation, introduced by Barrasso and recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to end the country's dependence on Russian nuclear fuel.
"The United States must ban the sale of Russian uranium in America. Vladimir Putin has used Russia’s nuclear industry to fund his brutal invasion of Ukraine," said Senator Barrasso. "It is estimated that the U.S. spends roughly $1 billion per year on nuclear fuel from Russia. The legislation that Chair Rodgers and I have sponsored will end our dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. I applaud the House of Representatives for passing this bill with overwhelming bipartisan support. The Senate should immediately send it to the president."
The bill, known as H.R.1042, is a companion legislation to S. 763 and has received strong bipartisan support. Barrasso emphasized the importance of passing this legislation to protect national security and reduce reliance on foreign sources.
In addition to the ban on Russian uranium imports, this week both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to vote on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. This legislation includes the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, which aims to ensure the development and maintenance of a reliable domestic supply of nuclear fuel.
The Nuclear Fuel Security Act has already gained traction in the Senate, with the Barrasso-Manchin amendment being adopted by a vote of 96 to 3 on July 27, 2023. This amendment further strengthens the efforts to establish a secure and independent nuclear fuel supply for the United States.
The journey to this point dates back to March 9, 2023, when companion legislation S. 763 was introduced by Senator Barrasso alongside Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).
On May 17, 2023, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources adopted S. 763 as an amendment to S. 452, the Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023, and subsequently ordered the measure to be reported to the full Senate.
Furthermore, Senators Manchin and Barrasso introduced the Nuclear Fuel Security Act on February 16, 2023, to ensure a domestic supply of nuclear fuel for existing and advanced reactors. This legislation aligns closely with the Fission for the Future Act, which passed the Senate by voice vote in December 2022.
Senator Barrasso has long been committed to promoting the domestic production of nuclear fuel. On April 7, 2022, he introduced the Fueling Our Nuclear Future Act, which aims to accelerate the availability of domestically produced High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for advanced reactors. The act directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to work with industry to establish a domestic HALEU enrichment capability and make HALEU available from their inventories until U.S. commercial enrichment is available.
Additionally, on March 31, 2022, Barrasso, along with Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), introduced the National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America (NO RUSSIA) Act of 2022. This act would authorize the DOE to establish a national strategic uranium reserve and take necessary actions to ensure a domestic supply of fuel for existing nuclear reactors.
Finally, on March 16, 2022, Barrasso, Lummis, Marshall, and Cramer introduced legislation to ban imports of Russian uranium, highlighting the ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on foreign sources and safeguard national security.
With the passage of H.R. 1042 by the House of Representatives and the upcoming Senate vote on the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, the United States is poised to take significant steps towards protecting its nuclear fuel supply and reducing dependence on Russian imports. As the bill heads to the Senate, Senator Barrasso urges his colleagues to swiftly pass the legislation and send it to President Biden for his signature.
To find out more, go to this link: https://www.energy.senate.gov/2023/12/barrasso-calls-on-senate-to-send-bipartisan-bill-to-ban-russian-uranium-imports-to-president-biden-barrasso-calls-on-senate-to-send-bipartisan-bill-to-ban-russian-uranium-imports-to-president-biden
