With great aplum and not even worry aplomb and not even worry about it this doesnt save us the 340 billion which is what we ought to do, what this amendment does is say, dont spend it on further constructing his useless well, not useless but totally expensive facility, dont waste the money on this boondoggle. And we can spend the money on maybe what the department of energy thinks we ought to do, to dilute and dispose. Or maybe build a fast reactor, which weve had in the past and which russia is using to dispose of their plutonium. Theyre Generating Energy and doing so while getting rid of their unused plutonium. So why dont we just accept this amendment and eliminate thE Construction clause, keep the 340 million in South Carolina so they can be happy, maybe they can spend it on something that might actually work. I reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman eserves. For what purpose does the gentleman from South Carolina seek recognition . Im in opposition and yield myself such time as i may use. The chair the gentleman is ecognized. Mr. Speaker, i rise in opposition to this amendment for the mixed on scythe fabrication facility located in South Carolina adjacent to augusta, georgia. I support the facility for a very simple reason, its the only viable method of permanently disposing of weapons grade plutonium and turning it into green fuel for nuclear reactors. Mr. Wilson furthermore its the upholding our Nuclear Nonproliferation agreement with russia. I say this having served as the deputy general of the department of energy and being the only one in congress who has worked at the Savanna River site. We agreed there would be a place to remove the plutonium. After years of promises, to to the close this with no viable alternative makes South Carolina the repository for nuclear waste. Theres been a shortsighted decision to terminate the project without appropriate considerations. The administration has failed to complete a rebaselining of the project as required by law. The administration has failed to consult key partners, including the e. P. A. , for oh state of new mexico as a receiving location. The administration cannot definitely state that the waste isolation pilot plan has the capacity for 34 tons of weapons grade plutonium or if it will reopen. The administration has failed to communicate with russia about the plan to close this, causing Vladimir Putin to not attend the recent Nuclear Summit in washington. Pew sin himself stated, quote, this is not what we agreed on. But serious issues, especially with regard to nuclear arms, should be able to meet ones obligations, end of quote. This is a proven technology, its worked overseas. Its crucial for our National Security in any decision to halt or alter its mission should only be carried out after a thorough and careful evaluation. I urge my colleagues to support this project, to stand up for our National Security initiatives, to support the only viable alternative for plutonium disposition and to reject the amendment. Im grateful that today the u. S. Chamber of commerce issued a let for the support of this project, quote, the chamber opposes any efforts to reduce funding for the National Nuclear security administrations mixed ox side fuel facility at the site at Savannah River this project is crucial to honoring the United States plutonium disposition protocol and advancement of Domestic Nuclear fuel production, end of quote. I yield back the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman yields. For what purpose does the gentleman from california rise . Mr. Garamendi to inquire about think my remaining time. The chair the gentleman has one and three quarters minutes remaining. Mr. Garamendi thank you, mr. Chairman. With Great Respect for my friend from South Carolina who is a most able advocate for his neighborhood, the facility is the ultimate sink hole for federal dollars and in fact there is a viable alternative and there are quite preble two different viable alternatives. One is the russian fast reactor, we have our own fast reactor, it clearly is disposing of the plutonium stockpile in russia. And creating energy along the way that theyre using. We also have our own fast ea reactor systems that have been built in the past and they are they could be viable, could be located that the Savannah River facility to dispose of the plutonium. Were going to need to come to some conclusion here. This is a debate we must have. The senate has two different versions, the house has two different versions about what to do. Maybe the gentleman and i can wrestle and decide which is the version we would actually take on here. This does not stop the facility. It simply says stop construction, use the money to look at designs, use the money to look for ongoing solutions, which the gentleman, i believe is incorrect but if hes right it could be this facility. But we need to solve this problem, its a very, very serious problem, were required by a treaty with russia to dispose of unused plutonium and i would suggest to all of us that we ought to be careful about make manager of it, which is another amendment ill take up at the offend the tai but ul take about that much later tonight. Do i have any time left . The chair the gentleman has five seconds remaining. Mr. Gare men tee would the gentleman mr. Garamendi would the gentleman care to close for five seconds . Mr. Wilson i would, i know if the gentleman listens to what were saying, i yield to congressman jody hice. The chair the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from idaho seek recognition . Mr. Simpson i move to strike the last word. The chair the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Mr. Simpson this is a debate thats been going on for a while. I appreciate what the gentleman is saying. Some of it is yeah. The problem is, ive been having this debate with the secretary of energy for some time. Understand, i understand where the people from South Carolina are coming from. Were talking about jobs and economy. I dont have a dog in this fight. What i do have is a responsibility as chairman of this committee. Five years from now, were not sitting up here talking about the same thing, or another chairman, another secretary of energy and another president. The department of energy is famous for starting programs, getting halfway down it, spending billions on them then walking away. Yucca mountain is the biggest ole in the ground they spent 14 billion on. Thats not the only thing the department of energy has done. But they come to us now and say hey we have a plan thats going to be cheaper. We think this will cost 30 billion, other says no, were look manager like 20 billion no one can get the moneys right. We ask them to rebaseline it. They havent done that. But they say weve got a plan. We think what we ought to do is dilute this stuff and then dispose of it. Ok. Great. What is that going to take . First of all, weve got a treaty with russia have the russians agreed to this . No, but we think they will you know, theres a lot of things i think my wife will agree to that she doesnt in the long run. So were going to go out, were going to scaup construction on this in the hope that russians will agree. We have such a Good Relationship with them. The Department Says, i think theyll be ok. Theyve indicated their willing to talk. Then ok were going to dispose of it. Where are we going to dispose of t. Whip. Thats shut down but well reopen it. Is that large enough to hold this . Will rewe have to do another land withdrawal in new mexico . Is the state of new mexico ok with this . We dont know, we havent talked to them system of you want to stop this before youve got a plan of what you want to do with it. And thats just crazy. And thats my problem. If the department would come to us and say, the russians have treaty, new nd the mexico has agreed that they will take the stuff, then maybe we could have a serious discussion. But right now its just all pie in the sky. Ill tell you if you really dont care about the treaty and dont care where they dispose of it, dispose of it in new mexico, the cheapest thing to do is just store it. But nobody wants to do that. So all were saying is, lets be reasonable on this and lets recognize that youve got a facility here thats 67 , i think the gentleman said, 67 omplete. I think we ought to continue going down that same road. We look at the 340 million, its probably going to end up being 500 million and some will say thats taking money out of my town, so lets stop that so my favorite project will get more money. I know theres a lot of that going on too. So while i think i understand where the gentleman is coming from, theres other people that agree with him. There are people on my side of the aisle that say why are we spending money on that boon degreele . Its not. Its supposed to create fuel. And while the Department Says there are no Energy Companies that want the mox fuel thats not true. There are some who would sign agreements left arm agreements, the problem is, they see this debate of whether were going to have any or not. But thats the problem. Is the department wont come to us with a solid proposal that we can rely on that thats an alternative that we can weigh one against the other. I dont want five years 10 years from now a chairman of the energy and Water Committee at that time and a secretary of nrning to be down on the Street Corner arguing about well, gee, we stopped mox. We got that big cement pile out there. We stopped construction on that and we got a problem with new mexico and the russians turn on our back, wont do anything about the treaty, what are we going to do . Lets think of something else. So until somebody has a reasonable alternative they can compare it to and the cost to, we need to continue with this mox project and thats why the funding is in there. Thats why well fight for it in conference. Even though the senate wants to stop it and do other things system of anyway, thats why thats there. I appreciate what the gentleman is doing. I understand his concerns. Other people have those concerns. But the right path for us to follow is to continue the project that currently exists. The chair the gentlemans time has expired. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition . Ms. Kaptur i seek recognition, to strike the last word. The chair the gentlewoman is recognized for five minutes. Ms. Kaptur i have Great Respect for congressman garamendi. And i know how thoughtful he is, normally i do support his efforts. I have to say that in this instance i think the priority has to be on completing construction of mox. 0 , i think there was a reference made tonight, 67 of thE Construction is already completed. 90 of the equipment has been procured. 50 of the equipment is on site. Are directly employed. 4,000 American Contractors are being utilized in 43 states. Mox is the only proven pathway we have for dispose og of the weapons grade plutonium in a pragmatic way. One of my goals in supporting this effort, having worked now with the department of energy on a number of programs, my goodness, it seems never to be able to finish anything. So we talk about Yucca Mountain, the chairman of the subcommittee made significant reference to that. Billions of dollars, the hole sits in the ground, unused. Back when jimmy carter was president he, had a goal of putting solar panels on the department of energy. It didnt happen until recently. Three decades, four decades, before they can even finish Something Like that. We look at hanniford and the cleanup necessary there. How many more centuries is it going to take . So one thing we can say about mox, its treaty required and were trying to meet our treaty obligations, and but its moving toward completion. This is a miracle for the department of energy. Perhaps a fast reactor might be better. But how do we know it wont cost an equal amount or more . We know South Carolina wants this, the congressman from the region is here. If we talk about whip, how do we know they even want the material . 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 dont want it. So frankly, of all the subcommittees ive served on, our full committee, ive served on a majority of them, i have never seen a department that cant 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 department is capable of doing. So i really think that we need to get it done. And we are close to doing that. We dont need another disaster sitting out there, that is unused or this delay and stop and delay and hesitation and uncertainty and so forth. We need to complete this. And we need to take care of the spent plutonium in a very responsible manner. So i share the chairmans perspective on this and continue to hold the author of the amendment, congressman garamendi, in the highest regard and i share your desire for nonproliferation. I think one of the best things we can do is get this material processed and leave the world a safer place in our time and generation. I yield back my remaining time and do oppose the amendment. The chair the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from california. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the noes have it. He amendment is not agreed to. The clerk will read. The clerk page 54, line 1, 1,420,120,000. Deral salaries and expenses, 382,387,000 to remain available until september 30, 2018. The chair for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition . Mr. Polis i have an amendment at the desk. The chair the clerk will report the amendment. The clerk amendment offered by mr. Polis of colorado. After the dollar amount insert, reduced by 1 million. Page 56, line 1, after the dollar amount insert, increased by 500,000. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 743, the gentleman from colorado and a member opposed each will control five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. Mr. Polis thank you, mr. Speaker. The 500,000 in funds will be for sites where remediation is currently being conducted by the office of Legacy Management at d. O. E. In accordance with the comprehensive Environmental Response compensation and rcla lity act called ce sites or rcra. Here are eight of them in colorado, rocky flats, which is now a shuttered Nuclear Weapons plant, has oversight by d. O. E. They do some water testing, but downwind and down stream communities have concerns about potential contamination. And these funds will help complete testing which is vital for scientific knowledge, for public confidence, and for public health. And we need them as we move forward with various uses of the land and properties in the area, including in the case of rocky flats, opening to ex tensive public extensive public visitation. Several municipals municipalities in my district have voted for more soil samples. The portion theyve asked for this regarding is both on fish and wildlife and d. O. E. Managed areas. I personally have got to hear from many scientists, residents, even somebody who investigated former Rocky Flats Plant 30 years ago, who feel that its very important that we make sure that the down stream areas and the site are not still contaminated and not hazardous for human visitors and we need to have the proper science by testing the air, water and soil. Relatively lowcost propositions that would be funded by this small change from administrative accounts. These funds, to be clear, would be applied to all cercla lands such as rocky flats and the others. And i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. Any member seek recognition . The gentleman from colorado. Mr. Polis i yield to the gentlelady from ohio. No, were good. Ok. To conclude, im very grateful to work with the committee and their staff on this important testing for cercla and rcra lands. Like those at rocky flats. And in the other seven states. And i yield back the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from colorado. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. He amendment is agreed to. The clerk will read. The clerk page 54, line 17, environmental and other defense activities, defense vironmental cleanup, 5,226,950,000. Ther defense activities, 776,425,000. Power marketing, administrations, bondville Power Administration fund, expenditures not to exceed 5,000. Operation and maintenance, southeastern power, administration, 1 million. Operation and mai