CASPER, WY — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), released the following statement after Senate passage of the Fission for the Future Act. This legislation, which passed the Senate by a voice vote, will now go to the House of Representatives.

“Americans need abundant, affordable, and reliable energy. Expanding nuclear energy is one way to make that happen,” said Barrasso. “Wyoming has the fuel America needs. Building a domestic supply of high-assay, low-enriched uranium will enhance our energy security. It will also mean greater prosperity for Wyoming families.”

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jim Risch (R-ID) are sponsor and cosponsor of the legislation, respectively.

The measure authorizes the Secretary of Energy to partner with American nuclear fuel suppliers to establish a Nuclear Fuel Security Program to ensure commercial availability of domestic fuel for existing and advanced nuclear reactors. It expands the American Assured Fuel Supply Program to create a nuclear fuel reserve sufficient to protect against possible fuel supply disruptions. And it directs DOE to make available high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) from its stockpiles until a domestic commercial supply is available.

Background Information:

On April 7, 2022, Barrasso introduced the Fueling Our Nuclear Future Act to accelerate the availability of domestically produced HALEU for advanced reactors. It directs DOE to partner with industry to establish a domestic HALEU enrichment capability. It also directs DOE to make HALEU available from their inventories to ensure advanced reactors have the fuel they need until U.S. commercial enrichment is available.

On March 31, 2022, Barrasso was joined by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in introducing the National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America (NO RUSSIA) Act of 2022. The NO RUSSIA Act will authorize DOE to establish a national strategic uranium reserve and take additional actions, as necessary, to ensure a domestic supply of fuel for existing nuclear reactors.

On March 17, 2022, during the nomination hearing for Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy, Barrasso secured Dr. Kathryn Huff’s commitment to work to ensure a domestic supply of uranium for America’s existing and advanced reactors.

On March 16, 2022, Barrasso, Lummis, Marshall, and Cramer introduced legislation to ban imports of Russian uranium.

On December 1, 2021, during the Opening Plenary of the American Nuclear Society’s Winter Meeting, Barrasso warned against reliance on Russia to fuel advanced nuclear reactors and called for the Department of Energy to take immediate action to ensure a domestic nuclear fuel supply.

On June 15, 2021, during a hearing on DOE’s fiscal year 2022 budget request, Barrasso discussed the importance of establishing a domestic HALEU capability.

On April 30, 2021, Barrasso sent a letter to the Deputy Secretary of Energy urging the Department to take swift action to establish the strategic uranium reserve and to establish a domestic HALEU supply.

On March 25, 2021, ENR held a hearing that highlighted opportunities to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in nuclear energy, including by reinvigorating our domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.

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