Kenneth Fletcher
NS&D Monitor
5/9/2014
A controversial nuclear cooperation agreement with Vietnam was sent by the Obama Administration to Congress this week for its 90-day review. The agreement has raised questions from some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle because it lacks legally binding restrictions on enrichment and reprocessing, known as the ‘gold standard.’ The Vietnam deal, finalized last October, has instead a nonbinding commitment from Vietnam to rely on existing fuel services rather than developing its own sensitive nuclear technologies. It must sit before Congress for 90 consecutive legislative days before entering into force.
The Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group, this week urged Congress to back the Vietnam agreement. “The nuclear energy industry and U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of nuclear energy technologies encourage Congress to support the nuclear energy cooperation agreement with the Republic of Vietnam. This agreement will broaden U.S. leadership and influence in the critical issues of nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation while creating tens of thousands of American jobs,” NEI Vice President for Policy Development Richard Myers said in a statement.
