SENATOR MARKEY DECRIES SECURITY CONCERNS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH TRUMP PROPOSAL TO GIVE WEAPONS-USABLE PLUTONIUM TO PRIVATE COMPANIES

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Edward J. Markey issued the following press release:

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-Chair of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today wrote to President Trump urging him to cancel the Department of Energy's (DOE) plans to give 20 metric tons of weapons-usable plutonium-enough for approximately 2,000 nuclear bombs-to private industry for commercial energy use. If implemented, this would be the first time the U.S. government has made weapons-grade plutonium available to private companies. These plans go against long-standing bipartisan U.S. nuclear security policy, raise serious weapons proliferation concerns, make little economic sense, and raise conflict of interest issues. Secr...