Reid argues to cut funds

Thursday, Oct. 20, 2005 | 7:06 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is quietly arguing that this is another good year to slash Yucca Mountain funding, given massive spending on Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq.

Yucca budget talks come as congressional leaders are looking for cuts that could offset Katrina and Iraq spending. The Yucca discussions may be coming to a head in back-room negotiations as a House-Senate conference committee works to finalize the annual energy and water appropriations bill by the end of the month.

Details of the Yucca budget are being hammered out mostly by Reid, D-Nev.; Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.; Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio; and Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., the top Republicans and Democrats on the energy and water subcommittees of the Appropriations Committees.

The House approved $661 million for Yucca in the 2006 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. The Senate approved $577 million.

Reid works to slash the Yucca budget every year, but his aides declined to say how much he was seeking to cut this year. Domenici spokesman Chris Gallegos declined to comment.

"Yucca Mountain is losing favor (in Congress)," Reid told reporters on Tuesday. "It's a boondoggle, and there's no need for it."

Live chat: Tuesday, noon PST; Chat with Krista Creelman; Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question