"We are announcing roughly $8 billion in loan guarantees to break ground on the first new nuclear plant in our country in nearly three decades. It’s a plant that will create thousands of construction jobs in the next few years, and some 800 permanent jobs in the years to come. And this is only the beginning.  My budget proposes tripling the loan guarantees we provide to help finance safe, clean nuclear facilities – and we’ll continue to provide financing for clean energy projects here in Maryland and across America.
...

"Now, I know it has long been assumed that those who champion the environment are opposed to nuclear power. But the fact is, even though we have not broken ground on a new nuclear power plant in nearly thirty years, nuclear energy remains our largest source of fuel that produces no carbon emissions. To meet our growing energy needs and prevent the worst consequences of climate change, we’ll need to increase our supply of nuclear power.  It’s that simple.  This one plant, for example, will cut carbon pollution by 16 million tons each year when compared to a similar coal plant. That’s like taking 3.5 million cars off the road.

"Enhancing America's nuclear capacity is a critical component of our strategy to develop clean alternative energies that create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

—	Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)
	In a statement at the IBEW Local 26 Headquarters in Lanham, MD February 16, 2010

Advances in technology can unleash more natural gas, nuclear, wind, coal, and alternative energy to lower your utility bills.

Here in Virginia, we have the opportunity to be the first state on the East Coast to explore for and produce oil and natural gas offshore.

But this Administration's policies are delaying offshore production, hindering nuclear energy expansion, and seeking to impose job-killing cap and trade energy taxes.

Now is the time to adopt innovative energy policies that create jobs and lower energy prices."

—	Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell
	Response to 2010 State of the Union Address January 27, 2010

Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history, an investment -- an investment that could lead to the world's cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched.

And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy in the North Carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide, helping to make advanced batteries, or in the California business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar panels.

But to create more of these clean-energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives, and that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country.

It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development.

It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean-coal technologies.

And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

—	President Barack Obama
	2010 State of the Union Address January 27, 2010

"There's no reason why technologically we can't employ nuclear energy in a safe and effective way. Japan does it and France doe it and it doesn't have greenhouse gas emissions, so it would be stupid for us not to do that in a much more effective way."

—	President Barack Obama
	At a town hall meeting in New Orleans October 15, 2009

“I don’t think we’re going to [pass a bill] without bipartisan support. And without a nuclear title that’s stronger than in the House climate change legislation, we’re not going to be able to get enough votes to pass climate change.”

—	Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)
	Suggesting a course of action for the Senate energy bill September 21, 2009

"It's evident that PSEG Nuclear employees and management are working very hard to make sure that nuclear plants are among the nation's best run, with cutting edge safety and security systems in place."

—	Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.)
	After visiting PSEG Nuclear's Artificial Island plant September 4, 2009

“Many policymakers in the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference region … have put new nuclear plant construction at the forefront of their integrated climate stabilization, economic development and competitiveness, electric system reliability and energy security efforts. ... Lawmakers and public service commissions in a number of Southern states have approved construction work in progress and other similar cost recovery methods that will significantly lower a new nuclear project’s cost.”

—	Southern Legislative Conference
	On loan guarantees for new nuclear energy plants August 19, 2009

“Restarting the nuclear power industry is very important in our overall plan to reduce carbon emissions in this country. From me you are not going to get any reluctance. As you may know, I think that nuclear power is going to be a very important factor to getting us to a low-carbon future.”

—	Steven Chu
	Secretary of Energy to a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing July 7, 2009

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said, “As we look at the renewable energy alternatives that are discussed, I’m very concerned that one of the most obvious sources of solution is largely untreated in the legislation that we expect to see coming to us, and that is nuclear energy.

—	Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
	at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing July 7, 2009

"Nuclear energy is the best source that we have available to serve our energy needs while also curbing greenhouse gas emissions."

—	Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio)
	On the floor of the Senate June 4, 2009

"I am convinced it [100 nuclear power plants built] should happen because conservation and nuclear power are the only real alternatives we have today to produce enough low-cost, reliable, clean energy to clean the air, deal with climate change and keep good jobs from going overseas.

—	Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
	To the Associated Press May 27, 2009

 

"I think it's asinine, what we've done over the past 30 years, where we've allowed France to fuel 80% of their economy on nuclear energy and we have fallen so far behind. Why is that?"

"It really is too bad ... it's the only base energy that releases no regulated emissions."

—	Joe Scarborough and Christine Todd Whitman
	Former Florida Representative; CASE Energy co-chairman, Former EPA secretary and New Jersey governor On MSNBC May 28, 2009

“My message to you is a simple one: nuclear energy is part of the solution. I say ‘part’ because there is no one single solution to America’s energy needs. I will keep arguing that nuclear power has a vital place in that mix, and that it deserves our government’s support.”

—	Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)
	House Majority Leader At the Nuclear Energy Assembly 2009 May 20, 2009

“If you look at these [energy] issues on a factual basis, there is a large and important role for nuclear to play. What I would hope, and what I have expressed to the secretary of energy is two‐fold. One, that there is a sense of urgency at the Department of Energy to move forward, and this certainly pertains to some of the nuclear issues we face today. My other message is that you need to make sure you manage large‐scale projects effectively.”

—	Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.)
	House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman At the Nuclear Energy Assembly 2009 May 20, 2009

"All we have to do is to step up and make the case. I have been unabashed in my support for nuclear energy. That's about 54% of the energy we produce in this state. We don't consume all of that. We export some of it."

—	James Clyburn (D-S.C.)
	House Majority Whip April 19, 2009

"We ought to go totally nuclear. We have the most modern and the safest technology the world knows. We ought to build a classic nuclear power plant here in Jackson County."

—	Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)
	April 15, 2009

"The basic bargain is sound: Countries with nuclear weapons will move towards disarmament, countries without nuclear weapons will not acquire them, and all countries can access peaceful nuclear energy. ... We must harness the power of nuclear energy on behalf of our efforts to combat climate change, and to advance peace and opportunity for all people.

—	President Barack Obama
	To the people of Prague, Czech Republic April 7, 2009

"Whether we like it or not, we will not meet the challenges of climate change without the far wider use of civil nuclear power, but we must invest in all sources of low-carbon energy, energy efficiency, renewables, carbon capture and storage and nuclear power."

—	Gordon Brown
	Prime Minister United Kingdom March 17, 2009