I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to support the inclusion of the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA, S.903) in the National Defense Authorization Act. NELA was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote and is cosponsored by nearly one-quarter of the Senate. Cosponsorship is bipartisan and includes eight members of the committee. The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technology and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies around the world are used wisely and responsibly. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by new exporting powers like China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation and to restore U.S. global leadership in nuclear energy. First of all, it directs the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology. Innovation will be key to our environmental and economic goals, so this mandate is critical. The bill will also enable the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test them. A final and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Please offer your support of the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it.

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to support the inclusion of the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA, S.903) in the National Defense Authorization Act. NELA was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote and is cosponsored by nearly one-quarter of the Senate. Cosponsorship is bipartisan and includes eight members of the committee. The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technology and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies around the world are used wisely and responsibly. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by new exporting powers like China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation and to restore U.S. global leadership in nuclear energy. First of all, it directs the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology. Innovation will be key to our environmental and economic goals, so this mandate is critical. The bill will also enable the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test them. A final and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Please offer your support of the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it.

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to support the inclusion of the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA, S.903) in the National Defense Authorization Act. NELA was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote and is cosponsored by nearly one-quarter of the Senate. Cosponsorship is bipartisan and includes eight members of the committee. The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technology and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies around the world are used wisely and responsibly. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by new exporting powers like China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation and to restore U.S. global leadership in nuclear energy. First of all, it directs the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology. Innovation will be key to our environmental and economic goals, so this mandate is critical. The bill will also enable the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test them. A final and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Please offer your support of the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it.

I write to you today as someone concerned about climate change and clean energy, to ask you to support the inclusion of the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA, S.903) in the National Defense Authorization Act. NELA was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote and is cosponsored by nearly one-quarter of the Senate. Cosponsorship is bipartisan and includes eight members of the committee. The U.S. is the birthplace of nuclear energy technology and has been an international leader in this area. Our country has benefited from the influence that this brings, including ensuring that nuclear technologies around the world are used wisely and responsibly. Unfortunately, this influence is being eroded by new exporting powers like China, Russia and others to offer their own nuclear technology to international customers. U.S. leadership in this area is therefore at significant risk if steps are not taken to increase our investment in nuclear research and development of advanced reactors to power our future generations. The NELA includes a number of provisions to address this situation and to restore U.S. global leadership in nuclear energy. First of all, it directs the DoE to develop specific goals and a 10-year plan for the development and research of advanced nuclear technology. Innovation will be key to our environmental and economic goals, so this mandate is critical. The bill will also enable the development of a fast neutron reactor test facility, something that the U.S. does not currently have (only China and Russia currently have this capability). This is exceptionally important as it is needed to test and certify fuels and materials used in new reactor designs. Development of a program to provide advanced fuel materials to reactor designers is another key provision, which is necessary for those design efforts to continue without having to leave the U.S. to develop and test them. A final and key provision of this bill is to establish a “university nuclear leadership program”, which will be focused on providing a world-class highly-skilled workforce that can design, build, regulate, safeguard and operate current and next-generation nuclear reactors. This workforce is key to our success, and will help ensure our continued strong global leadership in this important field. Nuclear energy offers the promise of plentiful, clean, affordable, safe energy for our world. Please offer your support of the NELA legislation to support U.S. efforts to continue to develop and improve it.