©2026 League of Conservation Voters
1982 Scorecard Vote
88
9
2
The vote is on the Hart (D-CO) – Simpson (R-WY) amendment to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Authorization bill (S. 1207). The amendment banned the reprocessing of civilian spent nuclear fuel for use in making nuclear weapons. The military use of commercial nuclear power plants would give the nuclear industry another subsidy and a “national security” rationale. It would also mean that several million cubic feet of nuclear wastes could be transported from power plant to bomb plant via trucks on U.S. highways. The spent nuclear fuel rods would then be converted into a liquid form which is more unstable and more dangerous. Until now, the U.S. commercial nuclear program has always been carefully kept separate from the military. The Hart amendment intended to keep it that way. It set a good example for other nations and was an important victory in the fight against nuclear weapons proliferation. The amendment was opposed by the Administration and the leadership of the Armed Services Committee, yet it passed 88-9. March 30, 1982. YES is the pro-environmental vote. (The amendment was kept in the final bill which passed Congress.)
©2026 League of Conservation Voters