Speech transcript, April 11, 1985

ADDRESS BY U.S. SENATOR CHIC HECHT BEFORE THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE APRIL 11, 1985 THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO COMPLI-MENT YOU ON WHAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A TIGHT AND BUSINESS-LIKE SESSION. IT APPEARS YOU HAVE TRIED TO WORK TOGETHER IN A STRONG BI-PARTISAN EFFORT TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE MANY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY OUR RAPIDLY-GROWING STATE. THE ISSUES CONFRONTING YOU ARE VARIED AND COMPLEX. MANY HAVE NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. WILDERNESS, FEDERAL LAND SWAPS, THE SO-CALLED STAR WARS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS THE SP 100 PROGRAM, AND THE QUESTION OF HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE. IN ADDITION TO THESE CRITICAL NATIONAL QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ALSO CONFRONTING ISSUES WHICH COULD HAVE FAR-REACHING EFFECTS ON OUR STATE. THESE ISSUES INCLUDE PROPOSED INTERSTATE BANKING AMONG WESTERN STATES AND PROPOSALS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE. AS YOU KNOW, IN WASHINGTON AS WELL AS IN CARSON CITY, MOST OF THE REAL WORK IS DONE IN COMMITTEES. I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN TWO ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS THIS YEAR WHICH ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO NEVADA. WHILE MAINTAINING MEMBERSHIP ON THE SENATE BANKING, HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I'VE ALSO BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE. AND I WAS PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE IMPORTANT SENATE HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE. I'M ONLY GLAD SENATOR GARN DIDN'T WAIT TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT UNTIL AFTER HE RETURNS FROM HIS SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION. I CAN SEE THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINE: "GARN RETURNS FROM OUTER SPACE ? APPOINTS HECHT CHAIRMAN." BECAUSE 87 PERCENT OF NEVADA IS OWNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SERVE ON THE ENERGY COMMITTEE WHICH OVERSEES ALL FEDERAL LAND. AND THROUGH THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, I'VE ALREADY LEARNED THAT THE BANKS OWN THE OTHER 13 PERCENT. - 3 - RIGHT NOW OUR TOP PRIORITY IN CONGRESS IS TO GET THE BUDGET DEFICIT UNDER CONTROL. WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO RUN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENTLY. THE PROPOSED LAND INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT IS BASED ON THAT PREMISE. THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, FOR EXAMPLE, PREDICTED THAT THIS LAND SWAP WOULD SAVE TAX-PAYERS $25 TO $30 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR. WHILE I REMAIN FIRMLY COMMITTED TO SAVING TAX DOLLARS, I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT COST SAVINGS ARE NOT ACHIEVED AT THE EXPENSE OF GOOD MANAGEMENT AND WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE. WE WILL MONITOR THIS PROPOSAL CLOSELY. SENATOR LAXALT IS CORRECT IN TELLING YOU THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO REVENUE TO SHARE. WE WILL HAVE TO ELIMINATE SOME PROGRAMS OR SHIFT THEM TO THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. I WOULD EVEN PREFER THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BE TURNED OVER TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. _ 4 _ MY HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY FACING SOME VERY HARD OPTIONS. ALL HOUSING SUBSIDY PROGRAMS INCLUDING PUBLIC HOUSING, REHABILITATION LOANS, ALL FHA MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS... ARE UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AS CHAIRMAN I AM ALREADY CONDUCTING HEARINGS ON WAYS TO STREAMLINE THESE PROGRAMS. WE WILL MOVE WITH COMPASSION HOWEVER4 I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE CUTS DON'T ADVERSELY IMPACT AMERICA'S TRULY NEEDY AND HOMELESS. IN ADDITION TO HEARINGS ON THE HOMELESS ISSUE, THE SUBCOMMITTEE WILL ALSO BE INVESTIGATING MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES AND TAX SIMPLIFICATION. THE CURRENT MOOD IN CONGRESS IS CONSERVATIVE. THE DAY OF PORK BARREL SUBSIDIES IS GONE. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE HAS DEMONSTRATED TIME AND AGAIN ITS ABILITY TO PERFORM MANY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL DO IT BETTER, MORE EFFICIENTLY AND AT A SAVINGS TO TAXPAYERS. IN THAT REGARD, I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE CITIZENS OF ELKO AND LANDER COUNTIES FOR THEIR PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE IN SOUTH FORK AND ROCK CREEK DAMS. - 5 - IN ADDITION TO THE LAND SWAP, ANOTHER ISSUE OF INTEREST TO YOU THIS YEAR IS A WILDERNESS BILL. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. A WILDERNESS BILL IS MANDATED BY LAW. OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A BALANCE BETWEEN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTING OUR MINING AND RANCHING INDUSTRIES. WE ARE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS THIS YEAR OF MODIFYING THE 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT. MY BILL NOW HAS ABOUT 15 CO-SPONSORS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND IS CONTINUING TO PICK UP SUPPORT BECAUSE WE'VE MADE IT A STATE'S RIGHTS ISSUE. THIS BILL GIVES YOU.THE POWER TO RAISE HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN RURAL AREAS WHERE IT WOULD BE SAFE. I URGE YOU TO LET OTHERS IN CONGRESS KNOW HOW MOTORISTS IN THE WIDE-OPEN SPACES FEEL ABOUT THE SPEED LIMIT ISSUE. LAST YEAR, SENATOR LAXALT AND I WERE PLEASED TO HAVE HAMMERED OUT A HOOVER DAM BILL WHICH WILL KEEP OUR ELECTRIC RATES FROM GOING THROUGH THE ROOF. NOW, WE MUST CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR VAST GEOTHERMAL ENERGY RESERVES HERE IN NORTHERN NEVADA. - 6 - LOOKING OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, I FEEL WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN STREAMLINING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO IMPLEMENT 1,148 OF THE GRACE COMMISSION'S 2,478 RECOMMENDATIONS TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENTLY. THOSE STEPS ARE ESTIMATED TO PRODUCE $56 BILLION DOLLARS IN SAVINGS IN THE 1986 BUDGET AND $112 BILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AT LEAST IT'S A START. I'D LIKE TO TURN NOW TO A HIGHLY CHARGED EMOTIONAL ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN FANNED BY THOSE WHO TRY TO PLAY ON UNFOUNDED FEARS RATHER THAN ON DOCUMENTED FACTS. I BEGAN THIS YEAR BY TAKING THE POSITION THAT "A DECISION AT THIS TIME TO OPPOSE A HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY IN NEVADA IS PREMATURE. ALL THE FACTS SIMPLY ARE NOT IN AND NO DEFINITE DECISION AS TO A LOCATION WILL BE MADE UNTIL 1991." IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED, I PROBABLY RECEIVED MORE HEADLINES AND PRESS COVERAGE THAN I DID IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS IN OFFICE. YOU KNOW WHAT? I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT',' - 7 - I ACCOMPLISHED WHAT I WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH: TO BRING TO THE PEOPLE OF NEVADA BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE. PREVIOUSLY WE HAD ONLY EEEN EXPOSED TO ONE SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT. I MIGHT BE NAIVE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT GETTING THE FACTS AND STIMULATING PUBLIC DEBATE ARE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS FOR A UNITED STATES SENATOR AND I PLAN TO CONTINUE THAT ROLE WHETHER IT'S POPULAR IN THE POLLS OR NOT! LET'S REVIEW FOR A MOMENT, THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS CONTROVERSIAL STANCE. LOOMING IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT NOT YET ANNOUNCED WAS THE SP 100 PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR NEW VENTURE INTO SPACE. ESSENTIALLY, SP 100 WILL HELP DEVELOP THE RESEARCH NEEDED TO FUEL THE PRESIDENT'S STRATEGIC DEFENSIVE - 8 - INITIATIVE...BETTER KNOWN AS "STAR WARS"...USING NUCLEAR REACTORS. THIS TOTALLY "DEFENSIVE" SYSTEM COULD MAKE NUCLEAR WAR OBSOLETE. SENATOR LAXALT AND I HAVE BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY ON THE SP 100 PROGRAM FOR TWO YEARS. MUCH OF THE PROGRAM REMAINS HIGHLY CLASSIFIED. BUT WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT OUR STATE WAS STILL IN THE RUNNING FOR THE INITIAL STAGE AND FOLLOW ON MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM. IN THE 1960'S, WE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED NUCLEAR REACTORS FOR SPACE PROPULSION AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE'S E-MAD FACILITY. IN 1973, THE PROGRAM WAS SHUT DOWN. HOWEVER, RUSSIA CONTINUED TO TEST NUCLEAR REACTORS IN SPACE AND IS STILL DOING SO. OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE. THIS PROGRAM ~ THE SP 100 -- IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR FUTURE SPACE PROGRAM WHICH IS OUR BEST HOPE FOR A WORLD FREE FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS. WE HAVE GONE ABOUT AS FAR IN SPACE AS WE CAN WITH OUR PRESENT SOLAR PANELS. IN ORDER FOR AMERICA TO HAVE THE DEFENSIVE CAPABILITY TO SAFELY WITHSTAND A SOVIET NUCLEAR ATTACK, WE MUST HAVE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS IN SPACE. OUR FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF MANKIND DEPENDS ON IT. - 9 - SOME MONTHS AGO, PRESIDENT REAGAN ? ACTING ON THE ADVICE OF OUR LEADING SCIENTISTS, BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY ~ MADE A DECISION TO OFFICIALLY BEGIN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INTO THIS NUCLEAR REACTOR PROGRAM. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IN THE STRONGEST OF TERMS, THAT IT WAS ONLY WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION STOOD BY THE DECISION TO ENTER SPACE, THAT THE RUSSIANS COULDN'T GET TO THE GENEVA PEACE TALKS FAST ENOUGH. EVEN AN OFFICIAL STATE FUNERAL COULDN'T SLOW THEM DOWN. SIX WORDS I TOLD YOU TWO YEARS AGO STILL RING TRUE TODAY. WAR THROUGH WEAKNESS - PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. LET ME RECOUNT HISTORY FOR THOSE TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER. GERMANY INVADED POLAND IN 1939 TO BEGIN WORLD WAR II. THE POLISH ARMY FOUGHT BACK, BRAVELY. THE POLISH ARMY WAS ON HORSEBACK, THE GERMAN ARMY IN TANKS. WITHIN A FEW HOURS POLAND WAS SUBDUED. FOR THE UNITED STATES NOT TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN SPACE, NOT TO BE ABLE TO PINPOINT AND ATTACK INCOMING SOVIET NUCLEAR WARHEADS, WOULD PUT US IN THE SAME POSITION AS POLAND IN 1939. - 10 - THAT IS WHY I AM A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE REAGAN SPACE PLAN. I REALIZE IT WILL BE COSTLY, BUT IF WE SHIFT THE COST FROM OUR CURRENT "OFFENSIVE WEAPONS" TO "DEFENSIVE WEAPONS" WE CAN AFFORD STAR WARS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FACE TANKS ON HORSEBACK. A MONTH BEFORE I MADE MY JANUARY STATEMENT, I LEARNED WE HAD LOST OUT ON A $12 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE. THE PROJECT WENT OUT-OF-STATE ON THE HEELS OF A STRONGLY-WORDED, ANTI-NUCLEAR LETTER FROM GOVERNOR BRYAN TO THEN ENERGY SECRETARY HODEL. IN THE LETTER WHICH WAS DATED JUNE 15, 1984, THE GOVERNOR ALSO EXPRESSED STRONG OPPOSITION TO ANY FUTURE PROPOSAL TO UTILIZE ANY PORTION OF NEVADA TO CONDUCT RESEARCH PROGRAMS WITH NUCLEAR OR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS. NOT ONLY DID THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY MOVE THE $12 MILLION PROJECT TO ANOTHER STATE, BUT THE NEVADA TEST SITE WAS DIRECTED TO DRAW UP PLANS TO DISMANTLE THE E-MAD FACILITY BASED ON ITS COST EFFECTIVENESS. REMEMBER: E-MAD IS THE EXISTING FACILITY FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR ASSEMBLY WHICH IS UNDER REVIEW FOR SP 100. - 11 - HERE WE HAVE THE EXISTING FACILITIES. WE HAVE REMOTENESS TO POPULATED AREAS. WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL RESOURCES. AND WE HAVE THE WASTE-HANDLING CAPABILITIES. E-MAD IS CURRENTLY VALUED AT $94.A MILLION DOLLARS. SP 100 RESEARCH COULD WELL MEAN AN ADDITIONAL $500 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE ECONOMY OF SOUTHERN NEVADA AND THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES OVER THE NEXT DECADE. THIS PROGRAM IS A PRELUDE TO A $1 TRILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AS REPORTED BY THE WASHINGTON POST. HOWEVER, THE STRONG ANTI-NUCLEAR POSITION TAKEN BY GOVERNOR BRYAN REALLY HURT US. ESSENTIALLY, NEVADA WAS OUT OF THE RUNNING FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM LAST DECEMBER. IDAHO, WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO WERE ALL IN HOT CONTENTION. NEVADA WAS OUT OF IT BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR WAS AGAINST ANYTHING NUCLEAR. THE 100 PERCENT ENDORSEMENT OF OUR SOUTHERN LABOR LEADERS, THE MEDIA'S FAVORABLE COVERAGE OF THE "OTHER SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT" AND THE PERSONAL TIME SENATOR LAXALT AND I SPENT WITH TOP OFFICIALS HAVE ALL HELPED BRING US BACK INTO CONSIDERATION. - 12 - I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT PARTS OF NORTHERN NEVADA ARE COMPETING TO GET THE SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER. THIS ADVANCED PROJECT COULD ALSO MEAN THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OUR ECONOMY. EVERY TIME THE GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS "WE'VE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH" HIS WORDS ARE A SLAP IN THE FACE IN EFFORTS TO EXPAND THE ECONOMIC BASE OF THIS STATE. WE MUST ASK OURSELVES DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO APPROPRIATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR AN ENGINEERING SCHOOL AT UNLV AND AT THE SAME TIME, DISCOURAGE HIGH TECH PROGRAMS AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE. UNLV PRESIDENT ROBERT MAXSON IS CORRECT IN STATING THAT HIGHER EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN THIS STATE. WE NEED TO DO OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT INVESTMENT TAKES HOLD AND FLOURISHES. - 13 - LET'S TALK FACTS FOR A MOMENT, KEEPING AN OPEN MIND ON THE NUCLEAR WASTE ISSUE ALLOWS CONSIDERATION OF A NUMBER OF OTHER OPTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN BLURRED UNDER THE HYSTERICAL RHETORIC. IT IS POSSIBLE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL RODS MIGHT NOT HAVE TO BE BURIED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME BECAUSE THE ENERGY VALUE THAT REMAINS CAN BE EXTRACTED BY A CHEMICAL SEPARATION PROCESS COMMONLY KNOWN AS REPROCESSING. IT IS ALREADY TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE AND MAY SOMEDAY BE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO RECYCLE OR BREED NUCLEAR RESIDUE. IN FACT, REPROCESSING OF NUCLEAR WASTE IS AN OPTION CURRENTLY ACTIVELY PURSUED BY FRANCE, GREAT BRITAIN AND JAPAN. TO THOSE CITIES WHO FEAR THAT THE WORD NUCLEAR MIGHT HURT TOURISM AND BUSINESS 90 MILES AWAY, LET ME REMIND THEM THAT SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTY IN CALIFORNIA TODAY IS LOCATED WITHIN 50 MILES OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WHICH IS BUILT ON AN EARTHQUAKE FAULT LINE. - 14 - I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR MILITARY PRESENCE HERE IN NEVADA. IN FEBRUARY, I TRAVELLED THROUGHOUT THE STATE VISITING WITH CONSTITUENTS AND MAKING LINCOLN DAY SPEECHES. EVERYWHERE, I FOUND STRONG SUPPORT FOR OUR MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR ECONOMIC VALUE, BUT MAINLY BECAUSE THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT LINK IN OUR OVERALL DEFENSE SYSTEM. WE, AS NEVADANS, SHOULD BE PROUD, NOT CRITICAL, OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEFENSE AND SECURITY OF AMERICA. - 15 - NOT LONG AGO, I WAS AT A SPECIAL MEETING IN SENATOR GOLDWATER'S OFFICE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, WITH SECRETARY WEINBERGER AND NINE OTHER SENATORS. SENATOR GOLDWATER SAID IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS...AND IN LANGUAGE TOO SALTY TO REPEAT HERE, THAT WE HAVE OVER 200 MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES THAT WE DO NOT NEED. HE WAS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL OF BASES IN AREAS WHERE THE PUBLIC IS ANTI-MILITARY. IT HAS TAKEN CONSIDERABLE EFFORT IN WASHINGTON BY OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO COUNTER THE REMARK BY NEVADA'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE, "NEVADA IS A PLAYGROUND FOR THE MILITARY." I WISH HE WOULD ACCOMPANY A CHAPLAIN TO BREAK THE NEWS TO THE FAMILY OF A BRAVE YOUNG PILOT WHO HAS CRASHED TESTING OR TRAINING SO THAT THIS GREAT NATION CAN SURVIVE. YOU KNOW, ALL OTHER ISSUES PALE WHEN COMPARED TO OUR SECURITY AND FREEDOM. PERHAPS FREEDOM WASN'T EVERYTHING TO OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, BUT THEY BELIEVED DEEPLY THAT WITHOUT FREEDOM ALL ELSE WAS NOTHING...AND SO DO II - 1 6 - * WE CANNOT SAY WE WANT TO WORLD'S FINEST AIR FORCE AND NAVY AND CONDEMN NELLIS AND FALLON. * WE CANNOT SAY WE WANT NUCLEAR SUBMARINES AND NUCLEAR MISSILES IN EUROPE TO PROTECT THE FREE WORLD...THEN SUPPORT ONE KIND OF NUCLEAR PROGRAM BUT NOT ANOTHER. * WE CANNOT SAY WE WANT THE BEST AMMUNITION FOR OUR FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN AND CONDEMN THE HAWTHORNE ANNUNITION DEPOT. WE ARE EMBARKING ON MANKIND'S GREATEST EXPERIENCE ? LIVING AND WORKING IN OUTER SPACE. THE MESSAGE OUR ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS SEND OUT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER NEVADA PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN AMERICA'S NEXT FRONTIER. IT WAS OVER A CENTURY AGO WHEN NEVADA JOINED THE UNION. WE UNITED BEHIND ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO PRESERVE THE UNION, EMANCIPATE THE SLAVES AND TO PROTEST MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN. THROUGH OUR RICH SILVER MINES, NEVADA PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THAT HUMANITARIAN EFFORT. NEVADA PROSPERED AND THE UNION WAS SAVED. - 17 - AMERICA'S ENTRY INTO SPACE WILL ALSO SERVE TO PROTECT THE FREE WORLD AGAINST OTHER INHUMANITY AS IN LEBANON, AFGHANISTAN, CUBA AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES. IN NEVADA WE HAVE THE FREE WORLD'S LARGEST LABORATORY. WE HAVE PIONEERED NUCLEAR RESEARCH... WE ARE THE EXPERTS. WE HAVE BENEFITTED ECONOMICALLY WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEFENSE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND STRENGTH OF OUR COUNTRY. FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE OF THOSE WHO GO ON RECORD WANTING A NUCLEAR REACTOR SPACE PROGRAM WITH NUCLEAR FUEL AND RESIDUE AT OUR TEST SITE, BUT OBJECT TO STORING NUCLEAR FUEL AND RESIDUE...SAFELY. TESTS YET TO BE CONDUCTED WILL DETERMINE WHICH OF THE THREE PROPOSED SITES IS THE SAFEST AND NO ELECTED OFFICIAL...INCLUDING ME...WILL SUPPORT THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE IF IT IS NOT SHOWN TO BE THE SAFEST LOCATION. REST YOUR FEARS. I URGE YOU TO RETAIN AN OPEN MIND AND BE CONSISTENT. OTHERWISE IT'S ABOUT AS ILLOGICAL AS FAVORING COBALT AND RADIATION TREATMENT TO CURE CANCER, WHILE SUPPORTING - 18 - A NUCLEAR FREEZE AND A BAN ON TRANSPORTATION OF ANYTHING RADIOACTIVE ON OUR RAILS OR HIGHWAYS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF SPEAKING FRANKLY AND CANDIDLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NEVADA. LET'S EXAMINE THIS ISSUE CAREFULLY AND BASE OUR POSITION ON THE BEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE. IF WE OPPOSE A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY NOW BASED ON HYSTERIA, WE HAVE LOST ALL CREDIBILITY IN CONGRESS. THE KEY WORD HERE IS CREDIBILITY. WHEN ALL THE TESTS RESULTS ARE IN AND WHEN ALL THE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN REFINED, THE CONGRESS WILL WEIGH THE FACTS AND CONSIDER THE CREDIBLE ARGUMENTS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE MUST LOOK BEYOND TODAY INTO THE POTENTIAL OF TOMORROW. THE ROCKET GENIUS, DR. ROBERT GODDARD MAY HAVE PUT IT BEST WHEN HE SAID: "IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, FOR THE DREAM OF YESTERDAY IS THE HOPE OF TODAY AND THE REALITY OF TOMORROW." THANK YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS YOU.