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Wilson Testifies Before Budget Committee Requesting Resources for SRS

February 25, 2015

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) testified today before the House Budget Committee, led by Chairman Tom Price, requesting resources for critical infrastructure issues at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in order to diminish South Carolina's top environmental risk and reduce the cost burden to taxpayers. Click below to view the video of Congressman Wilson speaking in the hearing:


Click here for video.

Excerpts from Congressman Wilson's testimony are included below:

"I represent the Second Congressional District of South Carolina, which includes the Army's training base at Fort Jackson in Columbia, where we welcome recruits from Virginia and from Michigan. I also represent the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in Aiken and Barnwell. Both of these installations are national assets, which provide unique, one-of-a-kind services to our country.

"About an hour southwest of Columbia lies the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site. This site is a national asset, which disposes of weapons grade nuclear materials, conducts cutting edge research, and supports our country's nuclear weapons missions.

"The President's budget proposal provided much needed funding for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) currently under construction at SRS. This facility is our country's only means to honor the U.S.-Russia Plutonium Disposition Agreement. Without this facility, we will default on our nonproliferation agreement with Russia to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons grade plutonium and the material that could be reprocessed into green fuel for reactors.

"In addition to MOX, Savannah River Site is home to a host of other Department of Energy environmental cleanup projects. H-Canyon provides our country with the ability to process highly radioactive material while the Tank Farm, Defense Waste Processing Facility, and the Salt Waste Processing Facility all play vital roles in safely disposing of the material.

"Finally, the Site is home to the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). SRNL plays a vital role in supporting several initiatives, which range from Site activities to our intelligence community. Additionally, all of the FBI's forensic agents are trained at SRNL.

"Your Committee has extremely difficult choices to make. As you begin the Fiscal Year 2016 budgetary process, I ask that you fully consider the critical national security missions being carried out at Fort Jackson as well as the Savannah River Site. The individuals at both installations are dedicated to serving their country and putting the national interest of the United States before themselves. Please continue the tools they need to get the job done and to keep us safe here at home," Congressman Joe Wilson said.