Yucca Mountain center of debate by candidates

Erin Neff

Monday, Oct. 28, 2002 | 11:25 a.m.

Rep. Shelley Berkley said Sunday night in a live televised debate that if Democrats took over the leadership reins in the House of Representatives, Yucca Mountain would be dead.

Berkley, D-Nev., said if Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., becomes speaker of the House, "he will stand up as he has with the state of Nevada and will cut all funding and gut the project."

But Berkley's Republican challenger, Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald, shook her head negatively during Berkley's answer to a panelist in the KLAS Channel 8 debate in the 1st Congressional District race.

Boggs McDonald said Democrats were in charge when Yucca was first narrowed to one of three potential sites for the nation's nuclear waste, and added said: "It was the Democrats who made it one site, Yucca Mountain."

The two women also sparred over Social Security, prescription drugs, veterans affairs, school vouchers and Berkley's small business record.

In response to Berkley's question about the Bush energy plan, Boggs McDonald said she supported drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR) in Alaska. Berkley said the environmental site needs to be protected and that alternative energies were a better solution to lessening America's dependence on foreign oil.

Answering a question about the Bush education plan, Boggs McDonald said she didn't understand Berkley's sudden unhappiness with the No Child Left Behind Act because the congresswoman had voted for it and "it was put together by (Sen.) Edward Kennedy, (D-Mass.), who is another person you consider a hero."

Boggs McDonald later derisively mentioned an ergonomics bill small businesses fought by saying "she worked with (James) Trafficant, (D-Ohio), on that one."

Berkley, seeking her third term, said she was absolutely opposed to Boggs McDonald's plan to allow those under 50 to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in savings bonds or the market. She said establishing such a program would cost billions and would take money away from current recipients.

"I am not willing to sacrifice my parents' Social Security," Berkley said.

Boggs McDonald said she thought her idea made sense to examine today given the fund's planned insolvency in an estimated 35 years.

"I don't think waiting 35 years until I'm in my 70s is prudent," she said.

Boggs McDonald also disputed Berkley's push to build a new veteran's medical clinic on 61 acres of downtown land seen as critical to city redevelopment efforts.

She said a city building inspector found no structural problems at the Guy Ambulatory Clinic, and said vacating the building would only create a "white elephant" in the heart of the urban area.

Berkley said she did not find it odd that her opponent could be the first black Republican woman elected to the House.

"There aren't more in office because the positions and policies of the Republican Party are an anathema to the African Americans," Berkley said. "It doesn't matter if you're going to be the first at anything. You have to be the best."

Boggs McDonald said she's been pleased with the level of support she has gotten from Republicans and she relishes the role "to make American history."