The U.S. nuclear power industry still faces serious economic, safety, and environmental problems, despite huge government subsidies over many years. No new nuclear reactor has been ordered in nearly a generation, yet the industry continues to seek federal funding for research and development of new types of reactors.

The Department of Energy's Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) program has received nearly $295 million in federal funds over the past five years. These funds subsidize large corporations involved with the construction and export of reactors overseas, increasing the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 1997 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, S. 1959, to cut the $40 million budgeted next year for ALWR. On July 30, 1996, the Senate approved a motion by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) to table (kill) the McCain amendment, 53 - 45. NO is the pro-environment vote. (See House vote 12.)