\u201cAppreciate the bipartisan efforts on advanced nuclear,\u201d he wrote, along with a video of a speech by Sen.\u00a0Tom Carper\u00a0<\/span>(D-Del.) in favor of the bill.<\/p>\n The nuclear package was combined with another bill that reauthorized the U.S. Fire Administration and grant programs for firefighters. The Hill added that this combined package will also go to the president\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n \u201cWe benefit from more tools in the toolbox as we take on the climate crisis\u2014with the urgency the moment demands,\u201d Zaidi added.<\/p>\n The measure aims to speed up the process of approving the construction of new nuclear plants as many of the country\u2019s existing plants reach the end of their serviceable lives. In addition, it cuts the licensing fees that power companies must pay to begin projects. It also mandates the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prepare a report examining ways to simplify and expedite the environmental review process.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully it will be history-making in terms of small modular reactors, which is the future of nuclear,\u201d Sen.\u00a0Shelley Moore Capito\u00a0<\/span>(R-W.Va.) told reporters Tuesday before senators voted.<\/p>\n Supporters of the measure say it\u2019s a tremendous boost for the nation\u2019s nuclear power sector.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a facilitator of the process by which industry has to get approvals for building these projects,\u201d Lesley Jantarasami, managing director of the Bipartisan Policy Center\u2019s energy program, told The Hill.<\/p>\n The measure is not without critics, however.<\/p>\n Edwin Lyman, the director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, believes that a provision altering the mission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prevent it from \u201cunnecessarily\u201d restricting nuclear power will make the nation\u2019s power station fleet less safe.<\/p>\n \u201cI just see this as inviting the industry to challenge every decision that the commission tries to make that has the potential to impose more than this minimum amount of regulation and could essentially paralyze it from actually working to improve nuclear safety and security,\u201d he told The Hill.<\/p>\n The vast majority of House members also advanced the bipartisan nuclear-fire bill, in a 393-13-1 vote, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a far-left Michigan Democrat, voting \u201cpresent\u201d to show support for the fire provision but opposition to the nuclear portion.<\/p>\n \u201cI voted present in objection to the ridiculous decision to tie the reauthorization of vital firefighting programs for our communities together with poison pills that undermine nuclear safety and were strongly opposed by leading grassroots environmental organizations,\u201d she told The Hill.<\/p>\n Advocates for nuclear power, which currently generates about 20 percent of the country\u2019s daily needs, have long argued that it should satisfy both sides of the aisle \u2013 those who want to increase American power generation and security and those concerned about emissions since nuke plants only produce steam and not pollutants.<\/p>\n And while there are concerns about properly storing nuclear waste from plants, the U.S. has never had any accidents regarding the spillage of spent nuclear fuel.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/xstorynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/470136132_122106952154669319_2925757803162401937_n-26-300x160.jpg\")
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