WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) advanced bipartisan legislation that would help position the United States as the undisputed international leader for nuclear energy technologies. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023, which EPW Ranking Member Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced in March, passed out of the Committee by a vote of 16-3.
“The ADVANCE Act will help ensure American energy independence and security,” Senator Ricketts said. “I’m proud to support Senator Capito’s effort to facilitate America’s nuclear leadership, modernize current technology, and improve the environment. I’m grateful this legislation will benefit operating reactors like Nebraska’s own Cooper Nuclear Station and assist with decommissioning of reactors like Fort Calhoun.”
“From both a national security and energy independence standpoint, America has everything to gain from being the world’s leader in nuclear energy, and today we took an important step forward in achieving that goal,” Ranking Member Capito said. “This legislation gives a major boost to a clean, reliable power generation source, and provides the tools needed for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to facilitate the development and deployment of new technologies here in the United States. I’m proud of the work that went into the ADVANCE Act and that the EPW Committee continues to demonstrate we can successfully collaborate in addressing critical issues like nuclear energy in a bipartisan way.”
Cosponsors of Capito, Carper, and Whitehouse’s bill include Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mark Warner (D-VA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
