Accessibility links

Bush Says More Nuclear Power Plants Needed

President Bush wants more nuclear power plants in the United States to help lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

President Bush says nuclear power is a big part of his alternative energy initiative because it produces large amounts of low-cost electricity without air pollution or gases thought to contribute to global warming.

Public safety concerns have limited the growth of nuclear power in the United States where there have been no new plants since the 1970s. By comparison, France has built 58 nuclear plants in the last 30 years.

President Bush wants to see construction start on new U.S. nuclear plants within the next four years.

"As America and other nations build more nuclear power plants, we must work together to address two challenges: We must dispose of nuclear waste safely, and we must keep nuclear technology and material out of the hands of terrorist networks and terrorist states," said George W. Bush.

In his weekly radio address, the president says a Global Nuclear Energy Partnership with nations such as France, Japan, and Russia will work to develop innovative reactors and new ways to recycle spent fuel.

That, Mr. Bush says, will produce more energy while reducing the amount of nuclear waste and eliminating nuclear byproducts that could be used to make weapons.

In the Democratic radio address, New Mexico attorney general Patricia Madrid criticized the president's Republican Party for a prescription drug plan that she says favors corporate campaign donors over consumers.

"In order to please the drug companies who have contributed millions to Republicans in Congress, they wrote into the Medicare plan that the federal government can not negotiate with the drug companies for lower prices," Madrid said. "Not only is this bad policy, it is just plain bad economics."

Madrid is challenging incumbent Republican Heather Wilson in this year's Congressional elections. It will be one of the most closely watched races as the seat has been held by Republicans for decades.