According to people with knowledge of the situation, the Biden administration is considering using executive power to thwart legislative efforts to stop the Kremlin’s shipping of the boiler fuel.
The White House National Security Council, the Department of Energy, and another leadership departments have been engaged in discussions regarding a ban on Russian uranium goods, a move that was quickly approved by the House last month, according to the people.
To be sure, no decisions have been made on the topic. According to the people, the administration and the nuclear industry also like that Congress handle the controversy because it is more difficult to overturn laws passed by executive power.
” We continue to need Congress to take that action, which would provide confidence to business, allies, and partners that the U. S. has made a clear decision to establish a safe nuclear energy supply chain, separate of hostile impact, for decades to come”, the National Security Council said in a statement.
Russia’s share of the enriched uranium used to power America’s fleet of more than 90 commercial reactors reached a record high. 1 foreign supplier, according to Energy Department data. Russia receives an estimated$ 1 billion annually from those sales, and the White House has stated that reliance on Russian uranium sources” creates risk to the U.S. economy.” Altering that supply may be a challenge at the same time, and it is projected to increase the cost of enriched uranium by up to 20 %.
The$ 2.7 billion made available by Congress earlier this year to support a domestic uranium industry is contingent on imposing limits or imposing a ban on enriched Russian uranium, either through legal or administrative measures.
House legislation that was approved by a voice vote in December would prohibit the import of Russian uranium and permit the import of reactor fuel until 2028 through waivers meant to give utilities time to locate alternative sources. However, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz’s attempt to follow suit from the Senate was halted due to unrelated issues.
Due to procedural regulations, the Senate’s next best best possible legislative tool for the uranium ban is required to pass legislation necessary to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, which is scheduled for the Senate floor this week. However, a uranium ban was undoubtedly not related to the legislation, according to Senator Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate transportation committee with authority over the bill.
” At the leadership level, they do n’t want a lot of stuff on there”, Cantwell said in a Thursday interview.
Further complicating matters, the top Republican on the committee is Cruz, the Senator who blocked the House- passed bill from proceeding.
A long-term ban should be combined with the billions of dollars that Congress has approved for domestic enrichment capabilities, according to the White House, which has stated that the establishment of a domestic nuclear fuel enrichment supply chain is a top priority for national security.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, when asked about the issue while testifying before a House hearing last month, said executive action “is possible” but Congressional action was preferable.
” We’re concerned about the enduring nature of it”, she said. ” If Congress acts on it, it obviously solidifies it more concretely. And hopefully we can see that happen”.
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