Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate Transmitting Proposed Legislation To Increase Enriched Uranium Production

I HAVE today sent to the Congress a message describing my plan for securing the construction of additional uranium enrichment plants in the United States by private industry to meet the growing needs of the expanding nuclear power industry.

A critical element of this plan is legislation to authorize the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration to enter into cooperative agreements with private firms to foster, through Government cooperation and temporary assurances, the creation of a competitive private uranium enrichment industry. I am enclosing a proposed bill, the Nuclear Fuel Assurance Act of 1975, which would provide the authority needed to achieve the objectives described in my message. A brief analysis of the bill is also enclosed.

I urge the Congress to pass this legislation at the earliest possible date so that we can take a major step toward our goal of energy independence.

Sincerely,

GERALD R. FORD