It illuminates the tough slog ahead to reconcile differing House and Senate views on Yucca in order to strike a comprehensive agreement, which Senate energy leaders contend is possible.

House Republicans maintain Yucca needs to be the nation’s long-term repository, as outlined in federal law. They say they won’t agree to a nuclear waste storage deal without Yucca.

A bill with Yucca, however, stands almost no chance in the Senate.

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Mellman: The likely voter sham Bottom line MORE (D-Nev.) played a major role in getting President Obama to pull the plug on Yucca in 2009. He is unlikely to call a bill that includes Yucca.

Lyons, a Nevada native, alluded to the sense that opposition to Yucca is almost a necessity for Nevada lawmakers. The state’s residents resent that a 1982 federal law forced the nation’s nuclear waste onto Yucca.

Lyons advised lawmakers to “cut our losses and move ahead” without Yucca.

He endorsed recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, an expert panel convened by Obama in 2010.

Among other items, the expert panel suggested allowing states to apply to become the nation’s long-term repository and moving some waste to interim storage sites.

The findings form the foundation of a bipartisan Senate bill that Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal Hillicon Valley: TikTok, Oracle seek Trump's approval as clock winds down | Hackers arrested for allegedly defacing U.S. websites after death of Iranian general | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat MORE (D-Ore.) is spearheading.