Beyond Nuclear - Centralized Storage

Action Alert: Please Thank or "Spank" Your U.S. Senators re: How They Voted on Rick Perry's Confirmation as Energy Secretary

Most unfortunately, the U.S. Senate -- by a vote of 62 to 37 -- voted on March 2nd to confirm former Texas governor Rick Perry as Energy Secretary. This, despite his blatant conflict of interest with the Waste Control Specialists (WCS) radioactive waste dump in West Texas. WCS could result in taxpayers paying billions of dollars, for an environmentally unjust, high-level radioactive waste dump. This would put at risk the Ogallala Aquifer, vital drinking/irrigation water for millions; and would launch thousands of high-risk Mobile Chernobyl truck, train, and barge shipments of irradiated nuclear fuel through most states. (And there are other serious concerns with Perry, such as his climate denial, and membership on the boards of directors of Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco Logistics -- the companies behind the highly controversial Dakota Access Pipeline -- until just before his Senate confirmation hearing.)

(How did your two U.S. Senators vote?

Democratic Sens. Mark Warner (Va.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Tom Carper (Del.) and Joe Donnelly (Ind.), and Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine), voted with all present Republicans to back Perry.

GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson (Ga.) was not present.

The other 36 Democrats in the U.S. Senate, as well as Independent Bernie Sanders (Vermont), voted against Perry's confirmation.)

Please thank your U.S. Senator(s) if they voted against Perry's confirmation, or "spank" (express your deep concerns to) your U.S. Senator(s) if they voted for Perry's confirmation.

See a sample thank you letter you can use to write your own, posted online here (or see PDF version of thank you letter); see a sample "spank" you letter you can use to write your own, posted online here (or see PDF version of "spank" you letter).

Feel free to cut and paste the sample letters verbatim, or edit/add to them, as you see fit.

You can Find Your Senators at the official United States Senate website (see the upper right hand corner). Once at their websites, there you can find their online contact web forms, to send them an email, or look up their postal address to mail them a letter.

If you'd prefer to phone your Senator(s) instead of email/write them, here is a suggested sample script:

Thank you phone script

"I am calling to thank Senator _________, for voting on March 2nd in opposition to former Texas governor Rick Perry's confirmation as Energy Secretary. Perry has a blatant conflict of interest with the environmentally unjust and high-risk Waste Control Specialists (WCS) radioactive waste dump in West Texas. WCS would cost taxpayers billions, and burden them with unlimited liability if anything goes wrong. If opened, the de facto permanent parking lot dump for commercial highly radioactive waste would launch Mobile Chernobyl truck, train, and barge shipments through most states, putting millions at risk. Perry also was on the boards of directors of companies behind the highly controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, until just before his confirmation hearing, and is a climate change denier. Now that Perry has, unfortunately, become Energy Secretary, I urge you to do all you can to address his blatant conflict of interest regarding WCS."

"Spank" you phone script

"I am calling Senator _________, to express my deep concerns regarding [his/her] voting on March 2nd in favor of confirming former Texas governor Rick Perry as Energy Secretary. Perry has a blatant conflict of interest with the environmentally unjust and high-risk Waste Control Specialists (WCS) radioactive waste dump in West Texas. WCS would cost taxpayers billions, and burden them with unlimited liability if anything goes wrong. If opened, the de facto permanent parking lot dump for commercial highly radioactive waste would launch Mobile Chernobyl truck, train, and barge shipments through most states, putting millions at risk. Perry also was on the boards of directors of companies behind the highly controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, until just before his confirmation hearing, and is a climate change denier. Now that Perry has, unfortunately, become Energy Secretary, I urge you to do all you can to address his blatant conflict of interest regarding WCS."

You can use the scripts as is, or change them as you like. Use them for leaving a voice mail at your Senator's office, or when you reach a live staff person.

You can be patched through to your U.S. Senators' D.C. offices via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Or use this helpful Center for Biological Diversity directory, to look up your Senators' in-state district office phone numbers.

Thank YOU for taking action to hold your U.S. Senators accountable re: their vote for Energy Secretary Perry's confirmation!

To learn more about Perry's conflict with WCS, see articles in Counterpunch and Mother Jones. To learn more about WCS, see entries posted at Beyond Nuclear's Centralized Interim Storage website section.