Increased nuclear energy production legislation sent to Biden

Legislation from a North Carolina congressman with a goal to lower energy bills for Americans through increased nuclear energy production has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate.

President Joe Biden's desk for a signature, should there be no or minor differences to resolve, should be next.

The struggle has been long. Republican Rep. Richard Hudson introduced the Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act in November. It cleared the House of Representatives in February and now is included in the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023, a bipartisan, bicameral nuclear energy reform package.

Specifically, the legislation “reduces barriers to entry for commercial developers of advanced nuclear reactor technology; provides regulatory certainty; and reduces bureaucratic red tape with applications for ANR development, implementation, and demonstration,” a release from Hudson’s office says.

ANR is an acronym for advanced nuclear reactor.

“Increasing domestic production of affordable, clean energy will lower your energy bill, create American jobs, help reduce inflation, and make us safer in the world. It’s good for the environment, too. I urge President Biden to put our energy security first and quickly sign this historic nuclear energy reform package into law,” said the congressman.

When citing his record on the WhiteHouse.gov website, Biden touts building “a more resilient power grid and scales new clean energy technologies.” Context is necessary, however, on two fronts.

First, the Biden administration has given favor to those with a green agenda, such as alternative fuel vehicles. That agenda also likes wind and electric energy. Second, another point on his record is labeled “lowering costs of families’ everyday expenses” through the Inflation Reduction Act. Inflation was 1.4% in January 2021 when he took office, 9.1% in June 2022, 3.3% in May and consensus is Americans pay – in some cases significantly – more than they did three years ago.