Savannah River Site Funding Approved, Furloughs Avoided

On Wednesday Congress approved the funding requested by the Department of Energy (DOE) for use at the Savannah River Site (SRS).

As a result of sequestration more than 2,500 workers had been furloughed at SRS. Had Congress not approved the DOE's request for $79 million, 900 of those workers would have been permanently furloughed.

Upon news of the funding Rep. Joe Wilson, released the following statement: 

“The Congressional approval of SRS’s reprogramming request is a tremendous victory for the people of Aiken County, Barnwell County, the Palmetto State, and our Nation. Throughout this entire process, I served as SRS’s positive proponent by encouraging the appropriate government channels to take immediate action.  However, the true champions of this success are the dedicated and hard working people of Aiken County, who demanded that the government do its job and approve this request. 

“The fact that the Administration delayed the approval process for over a month and a half shows that defending our national security is not one of the President’s top priorities. As a Member of Congress who serves on one of the four Committees given jurisdiction over the approval process, I commend the House and Senate for taking action quickly to ensure that our nation’s nuclear facilities are capable of completing vital missions with an appropriate workforce. The President’s Office of Management and Budget must do its job and begin implementation by reallocating the previously appropriated resources as soon as possible. Our national security depends on it.” 

Keep up with all of Patch's coverage of South Carolina politics by following us on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE.