WASHINGTON – Senator Frank H. Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today issued the following statement after the Senate adopted the Yucca Mountain resolution. The motion to proceed was adopted 60-39. “This vote is a great step forward in securing America’s energy future. Now more than ever, we need a safe, central and secure facility for our nation’s nuclear waste. Now, more than ever, we need Yucca Mountain. Today the Senate spoke, and the Senate agreed. I’m pleased at the amount of bipartisan support this measure received. “The American people do not accept the current shotgun approach of storing waste at sites scattered across the country. It’s not a solution, it is simply a symptom of the delays associated with opening Yucca Mountain. “Nuclear power provides 20% of America’s electricity – electricity generated without greenhouse gas emissions. Many states around the country rely on nuclear power to provide as much as 50% of their electricity. With Yucca Mountain moving forward, we can look to the future and be certain that nuclear power will continue to be an important part of our domestic energy supply.” ###