During deliberation over the Energy and Water Appropriations for FY 1992, the Senate defeated a measure to shift $118 million from nuclear weapons research and production to programs established to clean up the highly contaminated Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons facilities.

With cleanup costs currently estimated at $150 billion over the next 30 years, cuts in the budget will delay cleanups in 23 states that host contaminated DOE facilities. Such delays will prevent DOE from honoring legal agreements with states for speedy cleanups and consequently will increase health risks and long-term costs to taxpayers.

Senators John Glenn (D-OH), Jim Exon (D-NE), and Tim Wirth (D-CO) offered an amendment to restore funds the subcommittee had cut from the cleanup program, adding $118 million to the DOE nuclear weapons cleanup by taking the funding back from the nuclear weapons production program. This amendment would have increased the Senate's proposal for cleanup funding to the level previously authorized by the House.

Senator Bennett Johnston (D-LA) moved to table (kill) the Glenn-Exon-Wirth Amendment. The Johnston motion to table was accepted 54-43 on July 9, 1991. NO is the pro-environment vote.