WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, released the following statements celebrating the enactment of H.R. 1042, legislation to ban Russian uranium imports into the United States.

“Today, we officially ended Russia’s chokehold on America’s uranium supply,” said Senator Barrasso. “I want to thank Chair Rodgers for her leadership in getting this critical bill signed into law. Banning imports of Russian uranium will jumpstart America’s nuclear fuel industry, further defund Russia’s war machine, and help revive American uranium production for decades to come. As our nation’s leading uranium producer, Wyoming is ready to do our part to power American reactors with American nuclear fuel. Russia’s dominance of the world’s nuclear fuel supply chain is coming to an end.”

“It is time for America to end it's over reliance on Russia's uranium supply which has stunted our domestic nuclear fuel infrastructure and poses a risk to our energy and national security,” said Chair Rodgers. “I commend Senator John Barrasso, for his leadership to shepherd this important bill through the Senate, which will ban fuel imports from Russia and help restore American nuclear leadership and fuel security for decades to come.”

Background Information:

Cathy McMorris Rodgers introduced H.R. 1042 on February 14, 2023. Senator John Barrasso introduced companion legislation S. 763 on March 9, 2023. ENR adopted, by voice vote, S.763 as an amendment to S. 452, the Nuclear Fuel Security Act. ENR voted to report the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, as amended, on May 17, 2023.

The House passed H.R. 1042 by voice vote on December 11, 2023. The Senate passed H.R. 1042 by unanimous consent on April 30, 2024.

H.R. 1042 complements the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, legislation to revitalize our nation’s nuclear fuel industry. The Nuclear Fuel Security Act was included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2024.

Click here to read the text of the bill.