The U.S. Senate passed a major bipartisan bill, 88-2, to support nuclear energy and reauthorize federal firefighting programs. Only Sens. Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey opposed it, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib voted “present” in the House, which approved the combined bill 393-13-1. The legislation now heads to President Trump’s desk.

The nuclear portion aims to speed up approvals for new plants, cut licensing fees, and direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to streamline environmental reviews. Advocates see this as a historic step for small modular reactors and a needed boost to meet climate and energy security goals.READ MORE