PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 106-918.
Congressional Research Service
Version 35 · Passed Senate amended · Feb 10, 2000
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2000 - Title I: Storage and Disposal - Sets forth a milestone schedule by which final decisions regarding development of the Yucca Mountain site as a nuclear waste repository shall be made by: (1) the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary); (2) the President; and (3) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Prescribes implementation guidelines.(Sec. 102) Cites circumstances under which the Secretary shall take title and transport for storage at the repository site such spent nuclear fuel amounts as the NRC determines cannot be stored onsite.(Sec. 103) Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (the Administrator) from publishing or adopting public health and safety standards governing releases from Yucca Mountain site radioactive materials: (1) except in accordance with this Act; and (2) before June 1, 2001. Sets a deadline for specified reports to Congress by the Administrator, the NRC, and the National Academy of Sciences regarding Yucca Mountain environmental protection standards.Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to repeal the 70,000 metric ton restriction placed upon a first repository if a second repository is not in operation.(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into settlement agreements and grant specified relief to contract holders to: (1) relieve harm caused by failure to meet Department of Energy (DOE) commitments; or (2) settle legal claims arising out of such failure.Delimits expenditures which may be made from the Nuclear Waste Fund for costs incurred pursuant to a settlement agreement or backup storage contract.Authorizes the Secretary to take title, according to specified guidelines, to certain spent nuclear fuel withdrawn from the Dairyland Power Cooperative La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor.(Sec. 106) Prescribes implementation guidelines for an acceptance schedule. Instructs the Secretary, in conjunction with contract holders, to define a specified multi-year period for each shipping campaign and to establish criteria for the Secretary to accept contract holders' cumulative allocations of spent nuclear fuel during the campaign period.(Sec. 107) Conveys specified lands, including attendant easements for utilities, to Nye County, and Lincoln County, Nevada, or to the City of Caliente, Nevada.Title II: Transportation - Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to designate the NRC and the Secretary of Transportation as the licensing and regulatory authorities for transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste to either a civilian nuclear power reactor, or to any DOE Facility. Vests the Secretary with responsibility to cause to be used preferred shipping routes from each shipping origin to the repository in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Transportation.(Sec. 201) Designates as a preferred route: (1) an Interstate System highway for which an alternative route is not designated by a State routing agency; or (2) a route designated by a State routing agency.Revamps transportation guidelines to include: (1) shipping routes conditioned upon emergency response training, and the availability of attendant funds for at least three years before shipment on primary and alternative shipping routes; (2) specified grants for transportation plan development and implementation for affected State and tribal lands; (3) requirements for minimizing duplication of effort among affected Federal regulatory agencies; (4) a public information program in cooperation with corridor States and Indian tribes regarding spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation; (5) a mandate to use private sector hazardous waste transportation carriers; and (6) specified employee protection requirements for persons engaged in the interstate commerce.Authorizes the Secretary to make expenditures from the Nuclear Waste Fund to implement the guidelines.Instructs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate training standard regulations applicable to workers directly involved in the removal and transportation of radioactive waste. Prescribes training standards contents, including emergency responder training standards. Authorizes appropriations.Title III: Development of National Spent Nuclear Fuel Strategy - Establishes an Office of Spent Nuclear Fuel Research, within the Office of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology of the Department of Energy, and headed by an Associate Director, to implement an integrated research, development, and demonstration program on technologies for the treatment, recycling, and disposal of radioactive waste.Title IV: General and Miscellaneous - Authorizes the Secretary to establish a Decommissioning Pilot Program to decommission and decontaminate the sodium-cooled fast breeder experimental test-site reactor located in northwest Arkansas. Denies Nuclear Waste Funds for such Program.(Sec. 402) Instructs the Secretary to report on all alternatives available to the Northern States Power Company and the Federal Government which would allow such Power Company to operate the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant until the end of the term of its current NRC licenses.Directs the General Accounting Office to report to certain congressional committees on the potential economic impacts to Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan ratepayers should Plant operations cease once its State-imposed storage limitation has been met, including costs of new generation, decommissioning, and continued operation of onsite storage of spent nuclear fuel storage.(Sec. 404) Declares that any spent nuclear fuel associated with the Fast Flux Test Facility at the Hanford Reservation shall be transported and stored at the repository site as soon as practicable after NRC construction authorization.
People & committees
Sen. Murkowski, Frank H. [R-AK] · R–AK
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 106-918.
Motion by Senator Lott to reconsider the vote by which the bill, on reconsideration, failed of passage over veto of the President entered in Senate.
Failed of passage in Senate over veto by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 35. Record Vote Number: 88.
Senate roll call 88 · Individual votesFailed of passage in Senate over veto: Failed of passage in Senate over veto by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 35. Record Vote Number: 88.
Senate roll call 88 · Individual votesVeto message considered in the Senate. (consideration: CR S3201-3230; text of Veto message: CR 4/27/2000 S3017-3018)
Veto message received in Senate. Ordered held at the desk.
Vetoed by President.
Vetoed by President.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 253 - 167 (Roll no. 63). (text: CR H1183-1187)
House roll call 63 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 253 - 167 (Roll no. 63).(text: CR H1183-1187)
House roll call 63 · Individual votesOn motion to commit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 188 - 233 (Roll no. 62).
House roll call 62 · Individual votesThe previous question on the motion to commit with instructions was ordered without objection.
DEBATE - By unanimous consent debate was extended on the motion to commit with instructions by two minutes.
Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the motion to commit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion require the Committee on Commerce to hold hearings on the bill S. 1287.
Ms. Berkley moved to commit with instructions to Commerce.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 1287.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 444. (consideration: CR H1183-1200)
Point of order raised by Mr. Gibbons on the content of the measure. Mr. Gibbons stated that the bill violates Sec. 425 of the Budget Act. The Chair stated that Mr. Gibbons met threshold burden. The House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the question of consideration.
Rule provides for consideration of S. 1287 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.
Rule H. Res. 444 passed House.
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 444 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S. 1287 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.
Held at the desk.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 34. Record Vote Number: 8. (text: CR S574-578)
Senate roll call 8 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 34. Record Vote Number: 8.(text: CR S574-578)
Senate roll call 8 · Individual votesConsidered by Senate. (consideration: CR S564-579)
Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S514-520, S522-534)
Cloture motion presented in Senate.
Measure laid before Senate. (consideration: CR S463-477, S480-482)
Cloture motion withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate.
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate.
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed presented in Senate.
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 180.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Murkowski. With written report No. 106-98. Minority views filed.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Murkowski. With written report No. 106-98. Minority views filed.
Introduced in Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered to be reported an original measure.
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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